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Within the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is naturally straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet often offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely roles and partnering. With delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty characters, especially the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.

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

Ball's next featured appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a role, showing his mental process during execution. Yet in lighter ballets, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.

The Mental Game and After the Show Emotions

What about after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."

Formative Motivations and Creative Influences

Ball's determination originated in early experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. 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 challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules is compelling, but just acting that they’re not a thing any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He wants his work to be loaded with substance, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and art.

Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic

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

Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Image

On Instagram, followers can see clips from his projects and images that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit 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 relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various ways.

Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a different thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He probably has another decade of dancing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."