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Within the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can seem like powerful deities, yet often in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Top

At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was promoted each year, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial dramatic roles, particularly the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.

"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."

Ball's next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will walk the audience through a role, demonstrating his mental process while performance. Even in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he states.

The Psychological Game and After the Show Emotions

What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."

Early Motivations and Artistic Inspirations

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

The next endeavor is making his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions is compelling, but just pretending that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He wants his work to be filled with substance, drawing inspiration from books, music, and painting.

Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic

He also is interested in presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has created duets with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t usually paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."

On Social Media and Physical Perception

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and photos that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various ways.

Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate thing to the dreams you made as a child," he reflects. He probably has about decade of performing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."