Altcoins really can't do it alone, not yet, and likely not for a few years. The markets are too thin and confidence is too low. Perhaps we will see the alt season that many have been anticipating, but this needs much higher market confidence. That can be achieved through a prolonged and sustained price rise across the board. So likely bitcoin dominance would either increase or remain similar to now, until we have significantly higher prices. Once that has happened and BTC growth has started to slow, then we see conditions where an alt season can begin.
No, I don't think so! From what I see, Altcoin is now a hole of startup projects, so I can't equate the growth of the value of Altcoin depends on Bitcoin. Ethereum, XRP, XMR, Litecoin, Dash, ... all had a period of value growth without having to depend on the same thing in Bitcoin (early 2017).
With the above listed, I'm convinced that the growth of lone Altcoin with an active community could still happen soon. Look at-in Ethereum community in the next time. It will prove my opinion is right!
Each alt can make some progress on its own, I don't question that. But entire crypto market grows together, all coins contribute, some more some less, and now it is the entire system, connected in many ways. I couldn't imagine crypto without bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin, even a doge coin.
We can learn from this old proverb, for crypto become globally adopted all projects needs to work together, or at least to be connected at some levels. Global adoption should be the main goal for all of us.