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In the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can appear as mighty deities, yet often offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With fine features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Ascent to the Top

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty 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 neural fatigue."

His next starring appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer intimate insights into a performer's art. He will walk the audience through a part, demonstrating his mental workflow during performance. Yet in more comedic ballets, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he states.

The Psychological Game and After the Show Feelings

What about following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. Following an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."

Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations

Ball's determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.

The next challenge is creating his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, but just pretending 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 filled with substance, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and art.

Intimate Performance and Private Dynamic

He additionally favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically paired on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Image

On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and photos that highlight a sculpted form. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple ways.

Ball describes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different thing to the dreams you had as a child," he muses. He likely has about decade of dancing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."