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In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can appear as powerful gods, yet often offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his demand for princely roles and partnering. Possessing delicate features and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.

"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."

His upcoming starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, demonstrating his mental process while execution. Even in lighter ballets, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.

The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings

What about following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for good change."

Formative Motivations and Creative Inspirations

His tenacity originated in youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Discovering 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 endeavor is making his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions is interesting, but just pretending that they’re not a thing any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He wants his work to be loaded with substance, drawing inspiration from books, music, and art.

Intimate Performance and Personal Partnership

He additionally is interested in presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," 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 beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Image

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he care that the engagement 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 compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple levels.

Ball describes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the aspirations you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has another decade of performing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."