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Within the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can seem like powerful deities, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. With delicate features and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was advanced each year, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial dramatic roles, particularly the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.

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

Ball's upcoming featured role is as himself, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, demonstrating his cognitive workflow during performance. Yet in more comedic ballets, the test is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he states.

The Mental Game and Post-Performance Emotions

What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."

Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations

His determination stemmed from early experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove 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 challenge is creating his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions is compelling, but just pretending that they’re not a reality 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 art.

Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic

He additionally is interested in staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite determined 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 Instagram, fans can see clips from his projects and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he care that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.

Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the dreams you had as a child," he muses. He probably has about ten years of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."