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In the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His carriage is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. With fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Top

At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was advanced annually, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty characters, especially 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 next featured role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, demonstrating his cognitive workflow during performance. Even in lighter ballets, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Feelings

How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."

Early Drivers and Creative Influences

Ball's determination originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in contests 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 obsessive," he recalls.

The next endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions 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 wants his work to be loaded with substance, drawing ideas from literature, music, and art.

Intimate Performance and Private Partnership

He additionally is interested in staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the viewers. 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 degree of trust between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They are not usually paired 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 notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."

On Social Media and Physical Perception

On Instagram, fans can see clips from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic physique. Does he mind that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.

Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate reality to the dreams you had as a child," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of performing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."