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In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a plain tee. During performances, dancers can appear like mighty deities, yet often offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for heroic characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Top

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was promoted annually, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.

"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" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will guide the audience through a part, showing his mental workflow while execution. Even in more comedic ballets, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

How does he feel following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But 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 kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for good change."

Formative Motivations and Artistic Influences

His tenacity stemmed from youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.

An upcoming challenge is making his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the conventions 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 aims his work to be filled with substance, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and painting.

Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic

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

Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They are not usually paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."

On Social Media and Bodily Perception

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and photos that showcase a sculpted form. Does he care that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on multiple ways.

Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it met his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a different reality to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He likely has another decade of performing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."