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In the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a plain tee. During performances, ballet dancers can appear as powerful deities, yet often in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for heroic roles and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial characters, especially the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan'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 "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a part, demonstrating his mental process while execution. Even in lighter works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings

How does he feel after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for good change."

Formative Drivers and Creative Influences

Ball's determination stemmed from youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, 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." "Challenging the conventions 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 wants his work to be loaded with substance, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and painting.

Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic

He also is interested in presenting dance in more intimate 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 realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually matched on stage at their home company, which is perhaps 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 cheerleader."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception

On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat 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 compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various ways.

Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you had as a child," he muses. He likely has about ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."