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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 naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can seem as mighty gods, yet often offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for princely characters and pas de deux work. With delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Top

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty characters, particularly the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's works.

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

Ball's next starring role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will guide the audience through a part, showing his mental process during execution. Even in lighter ballets, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

What about after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

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

Early Motivations and Creative Influences

His determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.

The next challenge is creating his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is compelling, but just acting 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 loaded with meaning, drawing ideas from books, music, and art.

Intimate Performance and Private Partnership

He additionally favors presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has made duets with his partner, 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." 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 hunky dory," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."

On Social Media and Bodily Image

On Instagram, followers can see clips from his projects and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he mind that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various levels.

Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He probably has another decade of performing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."