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In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his arms defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can seem like mighty gods, yet frequently in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for princely characters and pas de deux work. With fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Ascent to the Top

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the company and was promoted annually, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty dramatic roles, particularly the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.

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

His next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's craft. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his mental process while performance. Even in more comedic works, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.

The Mental Game and Post-Performance Emotions

What about after a performance, when he has succeeded? "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, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."

Early Motivations and Creative Influences

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

An upcoming challenge is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules is interesting, 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 filled with substance, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and painting.

Intimate Dance and Private Dynamic

He also favors staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically matched on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."

On Social Media and Bodily Perception

On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic physique. Does he care that the engagement can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, 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 multiple levels.

Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a separate thing to the dreams you made as a child," he reflects. He probably has another ten years of dancing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."