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In the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is naturally upright, his limbs muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet often in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for heroic characters and pas de deux work. With delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle

At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty dramatic roles, especially the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.

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

Ball's next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's craft. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his mental workflow while execution. Yet in more comedic works, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

How does he feel after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for good change."

Formative Motivations and Creative Inspirations

Ball's determination stemmed from early setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.

The next challenge is creating his own choreography. 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 filled with substance, drawing ideas from books, music, and painting.

Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic

He additionally favors presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception

On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a sculpted form. Does he care that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple ways.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the dreams you had as a child," he muses. He probably has another ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."