Martha Chamberlain Retiring From Pennsylvania Ballet

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Pennsylvania Ballet is losing one of its principal dancers.

Martha Chamberlain will take her final bows on April 17th in a performance of "Who Cares?" after 21 years with the Pennsylvania Ballet. Chamberlain says she's gotten some mixed reviews on her decision to retire.

"If they look at how long I've been here, they say, 'oh well, yeah, I guess, that makes sense.' But then they say to me, 'no, you can't, you can't.'  I've gotten a couple of those," she said.

Some of her favorite performances are Kate in "Taming of the Shrew" and Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty." She will now go on to expand her costume design and dance-wear businesses.

"And I'm looking forward to it. You know, I'm excited about it. So it's making it easier. And I've been incredibly lucky that I'm making the choice to do this and it's not being made for me."

Reported by Karin Phillips, KYW Newsradio