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In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can seem like mighty gods, yet often in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for princely roles and partnering. With fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was promoted annually, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty characters, particularly the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.

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

Ball's next starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's art. He will walk the crowd through a part, showing his cognitive process during performance. Yet in more comedic works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings

What about after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed later. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."

Early Motivations and Artistic Inspirations

Ball's determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" 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 obsessive," he remembers.

The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, but just acting that they’re not a reality 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, music, and art.

Close-Up Performance and Private Partnership

He also 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 thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically matched on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "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 cheerleader."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image

On social media, fans can see clips from his dance films and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple levels.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a different thing to the aspirations you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has about decade of performing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."