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Within the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can seem as mighty deities, yet frequently in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. With fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Top

At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the company and was advanced annually, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, particularly the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.

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

His next featured appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his cognitive workflow while performance. Even in more comedic ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.

The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Emotions

What about following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."

Early Motivations and Creative Influences

Ball's determination originated in youthful experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to demonstrate 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 remembers.

An upcoming challenge is making his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules is interesting, but just pretending 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 meaning, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and art.

Close-Up Performance and Private Partnership

He also favors staging 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 human, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "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 is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."

On Social Media and Bodily Perception

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic form. Does he mind 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 seen on multiple levels.

Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a different thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has another decade of performing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."