Martha Chamberlain began her dance training at age five at the Fellowship House in Media, Pennsylvania,where she was born and raised. She went on to study with Donna Muzio, Paul Klocke and Cherie Noble at West Chester's Dance Center and The School of American Ballet's Summer Program from 1985 to 1988.  She is a graduate of Friends Select and The School of Pennsylvania Ballet.

Ms. Chamberlain joined Pennsylvania Ballet as an Apprentice in the fall of 1989 and was promoted to the Crops de Ballet three months later.  She was promoted to Soloist in 1997 and to Principal after her premiere as Juliet in John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet in March 2000.

Ms. Chamberlain has danced several leading roles including Katherina in the Taming of the Shrew, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Swanhilda in Coppelia, Myrtha in Giselle, Dewdrop and Sugarplum Fairy in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, and Helena and Divertissement pas de deux in A Midsummer Night's Dream.  She has also had featured roles in George Balanchine's Ballo della Regina, The Four Temperaments, Agon, Western Symphony, Serenade, Apollo, and "Rubies" from Jewels; Paul Taylor's Company Band Arden Court.  She has created roles for such choreographers as Trey McIntryre, Kevin O'Day, Jessica Lang, Jorma Elo, and Matthew Neenan; and she has had the opportunity to dance internationally in Portugal, England and Germany.  She retired from the Pennsylvania Ballet after dancing with the company for 21 years.

Ms. Chamberlain has designed costumes for many years.  Among the choreographers she has created works for are Christopher D'Ambroise, Matthew Neenan, Meredith Rainey, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Jorma Elo. She now serves as Adjunct Associate Professor and Costume Shop Manager for the School of Dance at The University of the Arts