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In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. During performances, ballet dancers can appear as mighty gods, yet often offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. With fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle

At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty dramatic roles, 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 upcoming featured appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer intimate insights into a dancer's art. He will walk the audience through a part, showing his cognitive process while execution. Yet in lighter ballets, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings

What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."

Early Drivers and Creative Inspirations

His determination originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.

The next challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions 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 substance, drawing ideas from books, music, and painting.

Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic

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

Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically paired on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."

On Social Media and Bodily Image

On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on various levels.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a separate thing to the dreams you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has about decade of dancing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."