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Within the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly upright, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can seem like powerful deities, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely roles and partnering. With fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted each year, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial dramatic roles, especially the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.

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

Ball's next starring appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a role, showing his cognitive workflow during performance. Even in more comedic works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

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

In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."

Formative Drivers and Creative Influences

His determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.

An upcoming challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules is compelling, but just pretending that they’re not a thing any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and art.

Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic

He additionally is interested in presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically paired 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. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."

On Social Media and Physical Image

On Instagram, followers can see clips from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic physique. 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 precious about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on multiple ways.

Ball characterizes his early 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 made as a child," he muses. He probably has about decade of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."