Breanna Olson, a professional dancer living with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), now performs through a virtual dancer controlled by an EEG-based interface that interprets her will. The system analyses her brain activity to detect learned motor-imagery patterns, allowing her to select expressive movements in real time and shape both the choreography in pre-production and the live performance itself.
The breakthrough is the result of a collaboration between Dentsu Lab and long-term client partner NTT, Inc., one of the world's largest technology and communications companies. Together, they set out to explore how advanced technology can create a more inclusive world.
The outcome is Waves of Will, a live dance performance that shows how meaningful applications of technology and R&D can be translated into emotional storytelling and an intensely human experience.
Olson used the interface during pre-production to help define the artistic direction of the piece, and during the performance to select the movements the virtual dancer executes.
The show unfolds in three acts. In the first act, Olson performs purely through her will, using the brainwave interface to trigger predefined movements of the avatar. In the second act, she is joined by her brother, Casey Herd, a former principal dancer and her partner since childhood. Finally, in the third act, other dancers join the duo, building to a graceful and emotionally resonant ensemble performance.
"Technology can sometimes feel scary as it evolves so quickly, but I also believe it holds incredible potential for good," says Olson. "For people living with ALS and for many in the disabled community, technology can be a bridge, a way to communicate, create, and connect in ways that once seemed impossible. The use of brainwave technology in this project gives me hope. It shows that innovation and compassion can come together to help us express ourselves more fully and to remind the world that creativity and humanity have no limits."
Dentsu Lab's global executive creative director Pascal Rotteveel, added: "We have taken something as highly complex as neuroscience and expressed it in a way that is intuitive and universally understood through dance."
"This is what Innovating to Impact looks like in action," adds Naoki Tanaka, chief creative officer, Dentsu Lab. "Together with NTT, we've transformed cutting-edge R&D into an experience that moves people. It's proof that when creativity and technology meet, innovation drives both cultural relevance and measurable client impact."
Campaign’s take: In an era where technology too often serves nefarious ends, Waves of Will stands out as a powerful reminder of tech’s potential for good, enabling inclusion and profound human connection. The virtual dancer’s imagery is mesmerising, blending cutting-edge neuroscience with raw emotional artistry in a way that captivates and moves. This is technology with purpose: let’s see far more of it, rather than technology for its own sake or tools that deepen division.
