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Within the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, ballet dancers can appear as powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for heroic characters and partnering. Possessing delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Top

At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial dramatic roles, particularly the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.

"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."

Ball's next starring appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will walk the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental workflow while performance. Yet in lighter works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

How does he feel after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Formative Motivations and Artistic Inspirations

Ball's determination originated in early experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.

An upcoming endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules is compelling, but just pretending that they’re not a thing any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be loaded with substance, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and art.

Close-Up Performance and Personal Dynamic

He also is interested in presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."

On Social Media and Physical Perception

On Instagram, fans can see clips from his projects and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various levels.

Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."