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In the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a plain tee. On stage, ballet dancers can seem as powerful deities, yet frequently in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Top

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his early passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the company and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty dramatic roles, particularly the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.

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

Ball's upcoming featured appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will walk the audience through a role, showing his mental process while performance. Yet in more comedic ballets, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Mental Game and Post-Performance Feelings

What about following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, frequently I do feel embarrassed later. After Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."

Formative Drivers and Artistic Inspirations

Ball's tenacity originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions 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 flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.

The next challenge is creating his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules 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 wants his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing ideas from literature, music, and painting.

Close-Up Performance and Personal Partnership

He additionally favors presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically paired on stage at their home company, 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 favorite supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Image

On social media, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple levels.

Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a different thing to the dreams you had as a child," he reflects. He probably has about decade of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."