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In the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly upright, his limbs muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like powerful gods, yet frequently in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for heroic characters and pas de deux work. With fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Ascent to the Top

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial dramatic roles, particularly the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.

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

His next starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will walk the crowd through a role, showing his mental workflow during execution. Even in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings

What about following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. After an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Early Motivations and Creative Influences

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

The next endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, 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 books, music, and painting.

Intimate Performance and Personal Partnership

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

Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically matched on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and photos that showcase a athletic form. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.

Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He likely has about ten years of dancing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."