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Within the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, ballet dancers can seem like mighty deities, yet frequently offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his demand for heroic characters and partnering. With fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Top

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was promoted annually, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial characters, particularly the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.

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

Ball's next starring role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, demonstrating his mental process while execution. Even in lighter works, the test is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.

The Mental Game and Post-Performance Feelings

What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."

Formative Motivations and Creative Influences

His tenacity stemmed from youthful setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" 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." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, 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, compositions, and painting.

Close-Up Dance and Personal Dynamic

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

Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not usually paired on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various levels.

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