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Within the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. During performances, ballet dancers can seem like mighty gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his demand for heroic characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Top

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the company and was advanced annually, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, particularly the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.

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

His next starring role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental workflow while execution. Even in lighter works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Mental Game and Post-Performance Feelings

How does he feel after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "However 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 Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, 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 active in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."

Formative Motivations and Artistic Influences

Ball's tenacity originated in youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.

The next endeavor is making his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions is interesting, 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 loaded with meaning, drawing ideas from books, music, and art.

Close-Up Performance and Private Partnership

He additionally favors presenting dance in smaller venues. "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 person, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."

On Social Media and Bodily Perception

On Instagram, fans can see videos from his projects and photos that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind that the engagement 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 interpreted on multiple levels.

Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the dreams you had as a young person," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."