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Within the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can appear as powerful deities, yet frequently offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for princely characters and partnering. Possessing delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle

At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial characters, particularly the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.

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

His upcoming starring role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's craft. He will guide the audience through a part, demonstrating his mental workflow during execution. Yet in more comedic works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.

The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings

How does he feel following a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations

Ball's tenacity stemmed from early setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became 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 fanatical," he recalls.

An upcoming challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules is compelling, but just pretending 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 books, music, and painting.

Intimate Dance and Private Partnership

He additionally favors presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close 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 lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t usually matched on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image

On social media, fans can see videos from his projects and photos that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple ways.

Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the dreams you had as a young person," he muses. He likely has about ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."