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In the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, ballet dancers can seem like mighty gods, yet often in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Ascent to the Top

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty dramatic roles, especially the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.

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

Ball's next starring appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will walk the audience through a role, showing his cognitive workflow during performance. Yet in more comedic ballets, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Feelings

How does he feel following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."

Early Drivers and Artistic Influences

His tenacity stemmed from youthful experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.

An upcoming challenge is creating his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules is compelling, 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 ideas from literature, compositions, and art.

Close-Up Performance and Personal Dynamic

He also favors staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"

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

On Social Media and Physical Perception

On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he care that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple ways.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he reflects. He likely has about decade of dancing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."