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In the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. On stage, ballet dancers can appear as powerful deities, yet often in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely roles and partnering. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Top

At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial characters, especially the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.

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

Ball's upcoming starring appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's art. He will walk the audience through a role, demonstrating his cognitive process during performance. Even in more comedic ballets, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

How does he feel after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."

Early Motivations and Artistic Influences

Ball's determination stemmed from youthful setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to demonstrate 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 recalls.

The next endeavor is making his own dance works. 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 wants his work to be filled with meaning, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and painting.

Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic

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

Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not usually 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. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."

On Social Media and Physical Image

On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.

Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate thing to the aspirations you made as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."