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Within the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. On stage, ballet dancers can seem as powerful gods, yet often offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his demand for princely characters and partnering. Possessing fine traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Top

At 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was promoted annually, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.

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

Ball's next starring appearance 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 workflow while performance. Even in more comedic ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Mental Game and After the Show Feelings

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

In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously observed on a "sense 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 catalyst for good change."

Early Motivations and Artistic Inspirations

Ball's determination stemmed from youthful experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.

The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, but just acting that they’re not a reality 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, music, and art.

Intimate Performance and Private Dynamic

He also favors staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually paired on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception

On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic form. Does he mind that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on multiple levels.

Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it met his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate thing to the dreams you had as a child," he reflects. He probably has another ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."