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In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple tee. On stage, ballet dancers can seem as powerful gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic characters and partnering. Possessing fine traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle

At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.

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

Ball's next starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will walk the audience through a role, showing his cognitive workflow while execution. Yet in more comedic ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Feelings

How does he feel after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Early Drivers and Creative Influences

Ball's tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.

An upcoming challenge is creating his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions is compelling, but just acting that they’re not a reality 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 books, compositions, and art.

Intimate Performance and Private Partnership

He additionally is interested in staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."

On Social Media and Physical Perception

On social media, followers can see clips from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic physique. Does he mind that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple ways.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a different reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has about ten years of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."