Biography

Boston native Isaac Akiba, who grew up in the Jamaica Plain section of the city, was introduced to ballet in 1998 through Boston Ballet’s Citydance program at 9 years old. After 10 weeks of classes, he was asked to join the Boston Ballet School where he studied for the next nine years. He studied under Sydney Leonard, Franco Devita, and Dierdre Miles-Burger. Other teachers who were important to his development were Kathleen Mitchell, Parren Ballard, Celia Marina, Jacqueline Cronsberg, Edward Ellison, Dean Vollick, and Bonnie Mathis. In 2007, Akiba became a member of Boston Ballet II. After two years, he joined the corps de ballet of the main Company. In 2012 he was promoted to second soloist, and in 2014 to soloist. 

Akiba has danced many roles during his five years as a member of the Company, highlighted in the classical repertoire by the Cavalier in The Nutcracker, the male lead in Harald Lander’s Études, Pas de Trois in Mikko Nissinen’s Swan Lake and the Golden Idol in Florence Clerc’s La Bayadère.

Position funded through a generous gift from Alison and Frank Quirk.

Biography Continued

In the Balanchine repertoire, he has danced as Puck in A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, Melancholic in The Four Temperaments, the third movement principal in Symphony in C and The Jumping Man in Symphony in Three Movements. He also danced in the role of a sailor in Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free. In the contemporary oeuvre Akiba has performed in William Forsythes’s The Second Detail, Jorma Elo’s Plan to B, Slice to Sharp and Double Evil. He has also danced roles in Jiří Kylián’s Wings of Wax and Tar and Feathers. 
As a Boston Ballet School trainee, Akiba received the Harry Wilcott Scholarship based on his commitment and perseverance as a dancer. In 2006, he participated in the first International Beijing Competition, and in 2007 he was awarded a silver medal at the World Ballet Competition in Orlando, Florida.
Akiba has appeared as a guest artist with Toronto International Ballet Theatre in Canada, American Academy of Ballet in Buffalo, New York, and in the World Ballet Competition’s annual All Stars of Dance Gala in Orlando, Florida.

Repertoire

Mikko Nissinen, Swan Lake (Pas de Trois); Mikko Nissinen, The Nutcracker (Prince, Snow King, Lead Russian); Florence Clerc, La Bayadére (Golden Idol); Ninette de Valois, The Sleeping Beauty (Bluebird); Sir Frederick Ashton, Cinderella (Jester); John Cranko, Romeo and Juliet (Benvolio); Coralli/Perrot, Giselle (Peasant Pas de Deux); Harald Lander, Études (Principal Man); Rudolph Nureyev, Don Quixote (Lead Gypsy); George Balanchine, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck), Rubies (Principal Man), Emeralds (Pas de Trois), The Four Temperaments (Melancholic), Symphony in C (Third Movement), Symphony in Three Movements (Jumping Man); Jerome Robbins, The Concert (or the Perils of Everybody) (Shy Boy); John Neumeier, Third Symphony of Gustav Mahler (1st & 3rd Movement); Jiří Kylián, Wings of Wax, Tar and Feathers; William Forsythe, The Second Detail, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude; Wayne McGregor, Chroma; Jorma Elo, Plan to B, Double Evil, Slice to Sharp, Bach Cello Suites; José Martinez, Resonance; Jeffrey Cirio, Of Trial, fremd

Training 

Boston Ballet School, Boston, MA (1998-2007)

Career

Boston Ballet (Boston, MA): Boston Ballet ll (2007); Corps de Ballet (2009); Second Soloist (2012); Soloist (2014)

Awards

Silver Medal, World Ballet Competition (2009)