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In the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, ballet dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet often offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his demand for princely characters and partnering. Possessing fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Top

At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was advanced annually, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial dramatic roles, especially the psychological 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 appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's craft. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his mental process during performance. Yet in lighter works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.

The Mental Struggle and After the Show Feelings

What about following a show, 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, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."

Formative Motivations and Creative Influences

Ball's determination stemmed from early setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to demonstrate 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.

An upcoming challenge is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules 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 inspiration from literature, compositions, and painting.

Close-Up Dance and Personal Dynamic

He also is interested in staging dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really thrilling," 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 perspiring.'"

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 daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t usually paired on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."

On Social Media and Physical Image

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a athletic form. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple ways.

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