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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 posture is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can appear as mighty deities, yet often offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic roles and partnering. Possessing delicate features and intense 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 smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.

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

Ball's upcoming starring appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer intimate insights into a dancer's craft. He will walk the audience through a part, demonstrating his cognitive process during performance. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet 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 immersed in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"

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

Early Motivations and Creative Influences

His tenacity stemmed from youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to prove 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 challenge is making his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging 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 filled with meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and art.

Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic

He additionally is interested in presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "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 principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust 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 healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed 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 social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple ways.

Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a different thing to the dreams you had as a young person," he muses. He likely has another ten years of performing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."