CAIRO—This weekend, take a journey to infinity and beyond with the Southern Dance Collective and F.I.R.M Dance Company as they present an original adaptation of Toy Story and “Toy Mania.”

The dancers will kick off the weekend on Friday, June 20th at 6:30 p.m. with the first showing of Toy Story before the younger dancers and elective programs take the stage on Saturday, June 21 at 10 a.m. for “Toy Mania.”

According to Southern Dance Collective owner and operator, Dana Willis, “Toy Mania” will feature all of the company’s pom, acrobatics, cheer, and hip-hop dancers. At the same time, the Toy Story adaptation will be a showcase of theatricals and dance mixed together.

A true creative collaboration, the production was envisioned and choreographed by Willis, along with Christina Johnson.

“Two of my seniors who have been with me since they were three have been wanting to do this show for years,” Willis said.

Originally hesitant, Willis told her seniors she didn’t know if she could make Toy Story into a full-length production. However, she threw herself into the process of watching a Toy Story marathon, while taking notes on how to make these movies fit into one, big show.

“When you’re doing a show like this you have to think about how you incorporate 125 kids,” Willis said. “You can’t do any type of show; there has to be a supporting cast.”

After the marathon, Willis realized her seniors were right and went to work on creating something they could be proud of.

Seniors in this year’s show include Sophia Lee (Woody), Olivia Chason, (Buzz Lightyear) Khai Pope, (Lotso), and Kate Sigman (Bo Peep).

Willis has been in awe of her seniors, and all her dancers, as this show is one of the most ambitious she has tackled.

“Every year you try to outdo yourself, but this year is a whole new level,” Willis said.

Johnson agreed, noting she had a lot of learning to do herself.

“This show was such a cool learning experience for me, as I’ve never had this much involvement before in making this happen,” Johnson said. “Figuring out how to edit the music precisely and mix the character voiceovers and background audios seamlessly all while setting choreography for the show was such a rewarding challenge and I’m honored to be a part of a show of this magnitude right here in South Georgia.”

Last year’s production of “The OZ” combined Willis’ Cairo and Bainbridge studios, with most dancers only appearing in a few scenes due to only taking one or two classes. However, after the show, dancers dreamed of more stage time, signing up for numerous classes, allowing for more appearances, and more numbers in the show.

“They’re going from 1-2 dances to 10 or 12,” she said. “It’s a huge change with all the costume changes.”

The dancers will get a taste of the limelight on Wednesday and Thursday morning, when they perform for some special groups, before opening recital night.

Willis explained she invites summer camps, daycares, and retirement homes to be bused in for their morning shows to prepare the girls for a live audience, who is usually forgiving if there are any last-minute hiccups.

The summer campers also are very lively, engaging in the more modern songs, pumping up the dancers, and reminding them of what they have worked so hard for.

Seniors will not only receive that recognition from campers but will be honored on Friday and Saturday night. On Saturday, they will have an infinity walk, as photos from past performances are shared.

Willis concluded by thanking her seniors and dancers for being open to all of her ideas in this year’s production and hopes everyone will come to see the hard work.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.southerndancecollective.com or the Cairo High School Auditorium door for $20.