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Within the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can seem as powerful deities, yet frequently offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his demand for princely roles and partnering. Possessing delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle

At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little 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 tackling substantial dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.

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

His next featured role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's art. He will guide the crowd through a role, showing his mental process while performance. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Mental Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations

Ball's determination originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.

An upcoming endeavor is creating his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules is compelling, but just acting 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 filled with meaning, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and art.

Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic

He additionally 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 viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple 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 smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."

On Social Media and Bodily Perception

On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he care that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple ways.

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