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Within the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can seem as mighty gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for heroic roles and partnering. With fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Top

At 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was advanced annually, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty characters, especially the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.

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

Ball's upcoming starring role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his cognitive process during execution. Even in more comedic works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Feelings

What about after a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed later. After an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."

Early Drivers 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 "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.

The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules is compelling, but just acting that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be filled with meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, music, and painting.

Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic

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

Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically matched on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple levels.

Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a different thing to the dreams you had as a child," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."