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In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. During performances, dancers can appear like powerful deities, yet frequently in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for heroic roles and partnering. With delicate features and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Ascent to the Top

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the company and was promoted each year, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial characters, especially the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.

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

Ball's next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's art. He will walk the audience through a role, demonstrating his mental process during execution. Even in more comedic ballets, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

How does he feel following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get lost in the role, 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 prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."

Formative Drivers and Artistic Influences

Ball's determination stemmed from early experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.

An upcoming challenge is creating his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging 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 wants his work to be filled with meaning, drawing ideas from books, music, and painting.

Intimate Dance and Private Dynamic

He also is interested in presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, 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 resembled Dirty Dancing." They 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 notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image

On social media, fans can see clips from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.

Ball describes his younger self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He likely has another decade of performing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."