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In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. During performances, ballet dancers can appear like mighty deities, yet often in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for princely characters and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty dramatic roles, particularly the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.

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

His upcoming featured 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 cognitive workflow while execution. Even in more comedic ballets, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.

The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings

What about after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."

Formative Motivations and Artistic Influences

Ball's tenacity stemmed from early experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Discovering 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 endeavor is making his own choreography. For Ball, "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 substance, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and painting.

Intimate Performance and Personal Partnership

He additionally is interested in staging dance in more intimate 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 thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually 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 favorite supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he care that the engagement can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple levels.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of performing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."