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In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can seem like mighty gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was advanced annually, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial dramatic roles, especially 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."

Ball's upcoming featured role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a role, demonstrating his cognitive process while performance. Yet in more comedic works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

What about after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "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 negativity has been an instigator for positive change."

Formative Motivations and Artistic Inspirations

His determination stemmed from youthful experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.

An upcoming endeavor is making his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules 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 aims his work to be loaded with substance, drawing inspiration from books, music, and art.

Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic

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

Ball has created duets with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t 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 cheerleader."

On Social Media and Physical Image

On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic form. Does he care that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple ways.

Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he muses. He probably has about decade of dancing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."