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In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly upright, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet often offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for princely characters and partnering. With delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Top

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.

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

His next featured appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's art. He will guide the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental process during execution. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings

What about following a show, 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, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. After Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Formative Drivers and Artistic Inspirations

His determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.

The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions 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 wants his work to be filled with substance, drawing inspiration from literature, music, and art.

Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic

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

Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "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 supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Image

On social media, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that showcase a athletic physique. Does he mind that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple ways.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different thing to the dreams you had as a child," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."