Waves of Will: Redefining Movement, Redefining Inclusion

There are moments when a story asks to be told — not because it is easy, but because it carries something essential.

There are moments when a story asks to be told — not because it is easy, but because it carries something essential. When we encountered this project, we immediately knew it deserved a space to be seen and felt. Waves of Will is more than a performance; it is a testament to the enduring power of identity, creativity, and human connection. Through Breanna Olson’s journey, we are invited to witness how expression can evolve beyond physical limits, and how inclusion, innovation, and courage can come together to redefine what it means to move, to create, and to belong.

Since childhood, dance was how Breanna Olson expressed herself. Movement was not simply technique or performance — it was identity, expression, and belonging. The stage was where she felt most fully herself.

Two years ago she was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerve cells responsible for voluntary muscle movement. Over time, people living with ALS lose mobility and physical independence. What often remains intact, however, is awareness, creativity, emotion, and the deep desire to connect.

For Breanna, losing the ability to dance freely without controlling it was difficult.

But the dancer inside her never disappeared.

When the Body Changes, Identity Does Not

One of the most difficult aspects of ALS is not only the physical loss — it is the way the world can begin to see you differently. Mobility changes. Communication changes. Opportunities narrow. Nevertheless your mind is still clear. People feel trapped.

For an artist whose body was her instrument, this shift was profound.

Yet Breanna has spoken openly about something powerful: although her physical ability to express dance diminished, she still feels dance inside of her. The rhythm, the musicality, the emotional phrasing — they are still there. The creative impulse did not fade with mobility.

This truth challenges a common misconception: disability does not erase identity.

Dancing Through Will

In Waves of Will, a groundbreaking live performance created by Dentsu Lab in collaboration with NTT, Inc. And us Pansonic Projector & Display Cooperation, Breanna returned to the stage in a new way with her brother.

Using an EEG-based brainwave interface, her neural signals were translated into movement performed by a projected virtual avatar. Rather than reacting passively, she actively selected and expressed intention through her brain activity — guiding choreography through will alone.

The performance unfolded in three acts:

First, Breanna expressed herself through the avatar, directing movement with her mind.
Then she was joined by her brother, reconnecting their shared artistic history.
Finally, additional dancers entered, transforming the stage into a collective expression of resilience and community.

Watching her projected avatar move was described as feeling like freedom — not because it replaced physical dance, but because it restored her expression.

Why Inclusion Matters

Living with ALS can be deeply isolating. The progression of the disease often reduces social participation, creative outlets, and physical autonomy. Loneliness is a reality many people with mobility challenges face.

Inclusion is not simply about accessibility ramps or modified tools — though those are essential. It is about ensuring that people with disabilities remain seen, heard, and valued as contributors to culture and community.

Projects like Waves of Will demonstrate what becomes possible when technology is designed with empathy:

People can reconnect with their passions.
Creative identities can evolve rather than disappear.
Audiences can experience disability not as limitation, but as transformation.

Breanna’s mission extends beyond her own performance. She hopes to bring a voice to people living with ALS — to show that even when the body changes, creativity and purpose remain.

A Call to Support the ALS Community

Supporting individuals living with ALS means more than funding research — though research is vital. It also means:

Creating inclusive artistic and professional spaces
Investing in assistive technologies that enable self-expression
Encouraging storytelling that reflects lived experiences
Building communities that reduce isolation

Inclusion allows people not just to survive a diagnosis, but to continue participating fully in life.

Contact ALS Association

A Message of Shared Resilience

Breanna hopes her performance leaves audiences feeling lighter and more hopeful. She wants people to recognize the beauty and strength that live within all of us — especially in the face of challenge.

ALS may change the body.
It does not erase the person.

By listening, supporting, and designing with inclusion in mind, we ensure that no one’s identity or creative voice is left behind.

Waves of Will: Redefining Movement, Redefining Inclusion

When the Body Changes, Identity Does Not

Dancing Through Will

Why Inclusion Matters

A Call to Support the ALS Community

Read more insights…

Panasonic and FilmGEAR Reimagine Traditional Art Forms at the Omnia Immersive Art Experience

Projection Mapping Powers Liseberg’s Nighttime and Winter Experiences

FOUR! Why 4K clarity is now the benchmark in golf simulation

Pitch Dublin delivers premium indoor golf experiences