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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 posture is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can appear like mighty deities, yet often offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely roles and partnering. With fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Top

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was advanced annually, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial characters, particularly the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's works.

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

Ball's next starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's craft. He will walk the audience through a role, showing his mental process while performance. Yet in more comedic ballets, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.

The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings

How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. After an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."

Early Motivations and Artistic Inspirations

His determination stemmed from youthful experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was fuel to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.

An upcoming challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "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 ideas from books, music, and painting.

Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic

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

Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t usually matched on stage at their main theater, 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 favorite supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception

On social media, fans can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care 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 states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple ways.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has 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 about ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."