On June 27, Project Alchemy is bringing “What Remains” to the Palladium in St. Petersburg.
According to a release, a convergence of themes is at the heart of "What Remains." Cycles and rupture, shadow and integration, memory and transformation.
Artistic Director Alexander Jones says the first portion of the two-part immersive dance, art and photography program was borne out of his experience working with visual artist, Rebekah Lazaridis, for “bloom and residue.”
“She's a muralist, she's a scenic designer, she also does like classic etching and drawings and things, so it's nice to bridge those worlds with movement, and then beyond that, it widens the audience and the scope of people to get to see dance and visual arts,” Jones said.
They’ve been collaborating since before the pandemic.
“I love flowers. My grandfather, he passed when I was really little, was a florist, and so some of that trade I naturally inherited, and so that's kind of where the beginnings of the first 'bloom and residue came from was flowers and flower cycles and nature and creating that and she also has a tether to nostalgia to the past trying to break into the present things like that,” Jones said.
And the second part was created with photographer and filmmaker Joey Clay.
“This particular work, ABOVE/below is a little heavy, so I wanted to give somebody something to ground themselves with, so that's why I chose those two pieces of music, while also introducing some new ideas. The (Pachelbel) 'Canon in D' is something that's usually associated with weddings, and the 'Adagio for Strings' being associated with death, and so these are two life-changing events,” Jones said.
He will also be using music by Roy Orbison and others.
Jones said the second part was generated through his shadow work, utilizing tarot and integrating the hidden facets of his subconscious mind.
Jones met Clay through Bob Devin Jones, the co-founder of Studio@620 in St. Petersburg.
Jones said Clay told him that their collaboration brings him close to his mom, in a way.
“Because she used to dance, and he loved watching her, like watching videos of her dancing and being around dance,” he said, “There's something about the body moving that's so interesting to me. So that's kind of our tether."
Jones said he hopes the production sparks conversation that will stay with people for a long time.
"What Remains" is at the Palladium in St. Petersburg on Sat., June 27. Tickets are available at the Palladium website.
