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In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can seem as mighty deities, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for heroic roles and partnering. With fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Top

At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty characters, especially the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.

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

Ball's next featured role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer intimate insights into a dancer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a role, showing his cognitive process while performance. Yet in more comedic ballets, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.

The Mental Struggle and After the Show Feelings

How does he feel following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. After Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."

Formative Drivers and Artistic Inspirations

His determination originated in early experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation 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 recalls.

An upcoming endeavor is making his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules 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 wants his work to be filled with meaning, drawing ideas from books, music, and painting.

Close-Up Dance and Private Partnership

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

Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not usually matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Image

On Instagram, fans can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a sculpted form. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple ways.

Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the dreams you had as a child," he muses. He likely has about decade of dancing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."