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In the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can appear as mighty deities, yet frequently in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his demand for heroic characters and partnering. Possessing delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted annually, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty 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 starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer intimate insights into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, showing his cognitive workflow while execution. Yet in lighter ballets, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Emotions

How does he feel after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations

His tenacity stemmed from youthful experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.

The next challenge is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Breaking 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 wants his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and art.

Close-Up Performance and Personal Dynamic

He additionally favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They are not typically paired on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception

On social media, followers can see videos from his projects and images that showcase a athletic physique. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various levels.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Did it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a separate thing to the dreams you had as a child," he muses. He likely has another decade of dancing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."