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In the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can seem like mighty deities, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for princely roles and partnering. With delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle

At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial characters, particularly the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.

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

Ball's upcoming starring appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, showing his mental workflow during performance. Even in lighter works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."

Early Drivers and Creative Influences

His tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove 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.

An upcoming endeavor is making his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules is interesting, but just pretending that they’re not a thing any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be loaded with substance, drawing inspiration from literature, music, and painting.

Close-Up Dance and Private Partnership

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

Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They are not typically matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps beneficial. "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 biggest cheerleader."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Image

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that showcase a athletic form. Does he care that the response can be somewhat 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—something that can be interpreted on various levels.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He probably has about decade of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."