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Within the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can appear as mighty gods, yet often offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic characters and partnering. With fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Top

At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty 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 upcoming starring role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's craft. He will guide the audience through a part, demonstrating his mental process during execution. Yet in lighter ballets, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

What about after a performance, 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 lost in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Early Drivers and Creative Influences

Ball's determination stemmed from youthful experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.

An upcoming challenge is creating his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Breaking 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 filled with meaning, drawing ideas from books, music, and painting.

Close-Up Dance and Personal Partnership

He also favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "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 is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined 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 Image

On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple ways.

Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a different reality to the dreams you had as a child," he reflects. He probably has about decade of performing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."