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In the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his limbs muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can appear like mighty deities, yet often offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for heroic characters and partnering. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the company and was advanced each year, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.

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

Ball's upcoming starring role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his mental process while execution. Yet in lighter ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings

What about after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."

Formative Motivations and Creative Inspirations

Ball's tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.

An upcoming endeavor is making his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions is compelling, but just pretending that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He wants his work to be filled with substance, drawing inspiration from books, music, and art.

Close-Up Dance and Personal Partnership

He also is interested in presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close 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 principal 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 resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "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 cheerleader."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception

On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and photos that highlight a sculpted form. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on multiple levels.

Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the dreams you had as a child," he reflects. He likely has another decade of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."