Catching the Pulse: projectALCHEMY Steps into Its Power and Reshapes St. Pete’s Arts Ecosystem
by Avery Anderson
Remember last year when Alexander Jones, the mastermind behind projectALCHEMY, joked that his indie, boundary-pushing dance company wasn't "that much of a baby anymore"? Fresh off a monumental season that saw them leap from local galleries to a massive co-production on the Mahaffey Theater stage, St. Pete’s only professional dance company is proving they’ve grown up fast.
For their newly announced 2026–2027 Season, projectALCHEMY isn’t just asking for a seat at the cultural table—they are rewriting the rhythm of the entire city.
If last year was about proving that contemporary dance could command St. Pete's grandest stages, this year is about embedding movement into the very brick, mortar, and soul of the community. Artistic Director Alexander Jones senses a shift in the local air:
"There is a new groove moving through our city. We feel it in the desire to gather, celebrate, create, and experience something together. This season is our invitation to step back into the body—to remember what it feels like to move, breathe, laugh, reflect, and witness alongside one another. Each experience is designed to spark connection and remind us that transformation doesn't happen in isolation; it happens when we show up, listen, and move together." — Alexander Jones, Artistic Director
Avery Anderson
The 2026–2027 Lineup: Where Movement Meets the City
True to form, projectALCHEMY’s new season avoids the traditional confines of the theater box. Instead, it plays out across a multi-disciplinary map of St. Pete, partnering with some of the region's heavy hitters.
Here is a look at what’s coming to the stage (and the streets) this season:
- Momentum: Moving Surreal at The Dalí Museum Building on the wild success of their incubator program, this iteration features breathtaking new works by the 2026 Momentum Artist Cohort. Dancers will translate the bizarre, dreamlike world of surrealism into raw physical architecture, right inside one of the city’s most iconic visual art institutions.
- MIXed: Pulse of the City A vibrant, multi-sensory celebration that blends contemporary dance, cinematography, and creative collaboration. This project captures the literal and metaphorical rhythms of St. Petersburg, turning the city itself into a living canvas.
- Midsummer at the Disco In perhaps the most anticipated cross-pollination of the season, projectALCHEMY is teaming up with the subversive creatives at Jobsite Theater. Expect a bold, high-energy, bass-thumping reimagining of Shakespeare that trades Elizabethan courts for the dance floor.
- Momentum Alumni Showcase A special spotlight celebrating the lineage of artists who have passed through the company's incubator program, highlighting the growing, sustainable creative community projectALCHEMY has fought to build from scratch.
More Than a Company: The Connective Tissue of St. Pete Arts
When we spoke to Jones last year, he didn't hold back about the challenges facing dance in St. Pete: a lack of specialized performance spaces, minimal review coverage, and an infrastructure heavily weighted toward visual art and traditional theater.
The 2026–2027 season is projectALCHEMY’s brilliant counter-strategy. If the city lacks dedicated dance spaces, projectALCHEMY will simply weave itself into the spaces that do exist. By partnering with institutions like The Dalí Museum and Jobsite Theater, they are forcing a dialogue between different artistic mediums. They are proving that dance isn't an isolated discipline; it is the connective tissue that can bring film, theater, visual art, and music together under one groove.
By keeping the focus on community engagement, artist development, and radical accessibility, projectALCHEMY continues to dismantle the elitism often associated with dance. They are showing up where the people are, demanding that the city move, breathe, and transform alongside them.
The baby company has officially taken the reins. If you haven't caught the pulse yet, it's time to start listening.
🎟️ Experience the Movement
- What: projectALCHEMY 2026–2027 Season Passes
- Details: Passes grant access to the full calendar of immersive experiences, large-scale collaborations, and experimental dance installations.
- Where to Buy: Season ALCHEMY Passes will go on sale July 29th. Information on scheduling, venues, and ticket tiers can be found at projectalchemy.dance.
- Follow the Journey: Keep up with rehearsals, pop-up announcements, and behind-the-scenes chaos on Instagram @projectalchemy.dance.