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In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly upright, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, ballet dancers can appear like powerful deities, yet often offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his demand for heroic characters and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Ascent to the Top

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on 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 starring appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his cognitive workflow while performance. Yet in more comedic ballets, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.

The Psychological Game and After the Show Emotions

How does he feel after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "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 later. After Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously observed on a "kind 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 catalyst for good change."

Early Drivers and Artistic Influences

Ball's tenacity stemmed from early experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" This became motivation to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.

The next challenge is making his own choreography. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Breaking 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 filled with substance, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and art.

Intimate Dance and Private Dynamic

He also favors staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."

On Social Media and Physical Image

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple levels.

Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a different reality to the dreams you had as a young person," he muses. He likely has about decade of dancing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."