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Within the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can appear as mighty deities, yet often in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for princely roles and partnering. With fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was advanced annually, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial characters, particularly the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.

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

His next starring role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a part, demonstrating his mental workflow during performance. Even in more comedic works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.

The Mental Struggle and Post-Performance Feelings

How does he feel following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."

Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations

His tenacity stemmed from early experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.

The next challenge is making his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions 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 substance, drawing ideas from books, music, and painting.

Intimate Performance and Private Partnership

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

Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t usually paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception

On social media, followers can see clips from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic form. Does he mind that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various levels.

Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a young person," he reflects. He likely has another decade of dancing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."