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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 effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet often offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate features and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle

At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty characters, particularly the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's works.

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

Ball's upcoming featured appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will walk the audience through a part, demonstrating his mental workflow during performance. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.

The Psychological Game and After the Show Emotions

What about following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract 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 like: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations

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

The next endeavor is making his own dance works. For Ball, "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 wants his work to be loaded with substance, drawing inspiration from books, music, and painting.

Intimate Performance and Private Dynamic

He also favors staging dance in smaller 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 person, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has created duets 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." The couple aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "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 supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception

On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he care that the engagement 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 relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple levels.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has another decade of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."