Akira Takahashi, from Nagano, Japan, joined Ballet San Jose for the 2005-2006 Season as a Trainee. Akira was promoted to Company Dancer for the 2007-2008 Season.

Previously, he trained at the Tachibana Ballet School in Tokyo, while also performing in the Asami Maki Ballet Company.

Akira has danced as a soloist in many classic ballets, including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Don Quixote.

With Ballet San Jose, he has performed in Blue Suede Shoes, Dennis Nahat's The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet, Middle Kingdom — Ancient China, Cinema Soundtracks, Ontogeny and The Firebird.