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In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his arms defined beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can appear as powerful deities, yet often in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Top

At 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial characters, particularly the psychological 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 as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his mental workflow while performance. Even in more comedic works, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.

The Mental Struggle and After the Show Feelings

What about after a show, when he has succeeded? "It's 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. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and prone 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 melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."

Formative Motivations and Creative Inspirations

Ball's tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.

The next challenge is creating his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, but just acting 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 filled with substance, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and painting.

Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic

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

Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."

On Social Media and Bodily Perception

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic form. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate thing to the dreams you made as a child," he muses. He likely has another ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."