Kansas City Ballet Dancer Blogs about "The Nutcracker" and Retiring

This marks dancer Matthew Donnell's 10th and last season with the Kansas City Ballet. And he's documenting it along the way in a blog. This includes writing about what's likely to be his last year in the fairy-tale ballet, "The Nutcracker."

By Laura Spencer

Kansas City, MO – Donnell, who'll be 29 at the end of the season, says retirement can be a scary word for a lot of dancers. He says teachers always say it's going to be a short career. But, as Donnell writes in his blog, he says he wants to show what artists go through as they make this transition. In 2010, Donnell plans a move to New York and a search for a job in musical theatre.

Slideshow: Kansas City Ballet company members and students rehearse the party scene for the annual production of "The Nutcracker"

Kansas City Ballet presents "The Nutcracker"
December 16 - December 27, 2009
Music Hall
301 W. 13th Street (13th & Central)
Kansas City, Missouri

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