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Within the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can appear as mighty deities, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for heroic characters and partnering. With fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his early interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was promoted each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty 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 mental fatigue."

His next starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's craft. He will walk the audience through a role, demonstrating his mental process during execution. Even in more comedic works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.

The Mental Game and After the Show Emotions

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

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."

Formative Motivations and Creative Influences

Ball's tenacity originated in youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.

An upcoming challenge is creating his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, but just acting 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 meaning, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and painting.

Intimate Performance and Private Partnership

He also is interested in staging dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually paired on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."

On Social Media and Bodily Image

On social media, followers can see clips from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple levels.

Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate thing to the dreams you had as a young person," he muses. He likely has about ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."