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In the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally straight-backed, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet often in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Top

At 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was promoted each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty characters, especially the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.

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

Ball's upcoming starring role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, showing his mental process while performance. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he notes.

The Mental Game and After the Show Feelings

How does he feel following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following 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 previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active 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 catalyst for good change."

Formative Drivers and Creative Influences

Ball's tenacity stemmed from early experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was fuel to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.

The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, but just acting 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 loaded with substance, drawing ideas from books, music, 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 experience. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which might be 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 favorite supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Image

On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a sculpted form. Does he care that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various ways.

Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he reflects. He likely has about decade of performing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."