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In the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can appear like mighty deities, yet often offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for heroic roles and partnering. With fine traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was advanced annually, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial characters, particularly the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.

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

Ball's next featured role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a part, showing his mental workflow while execution. Even in lighter ballets, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.

The Mental Struggle and After the Show Feelings

How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."

Formative Drivers and Artistic Inspirations

His tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.

The next challenge is creating his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions 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 filled with substance, drawing ideas from literature, music, and art.

Close-Up Performance and Personal Dynamic

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

Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically paired on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "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."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a athletic form. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.

Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a separate reality to the dreams you had as a young person," he muses. He likely has about decade of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."