Hair Battle to find Madison’s most fashionable styles
HAIR
HAIR
“Living in Madison, you get a little frustrated commuting to Milwaukee and paying tolls to go to different events and parties,” Gilmer added. “Why not
Madison? Why not now?”
Gilmer and Crosby came up with the idea to create their own Hair Battle right here in Madison December 5 at the Orpheum Theater. They contacted
barbers, hairstylists and cosmetology students to get them to compete. A judge’s panel consisting of hair product store owners and others connected to the
industry will judge their creations on originality, technique, neatness and design. So far, they have lined up NIECY from Changing Faces in Milwaukee, Gaylene
from African Creations Studio in Madison, Charity from Iris in Madison and Courtney from Salon X in Stoughton as the stylist competitors and Lamar from Style &
Grace, Reggie from House of Jollof and Dee from Genesis International as the barber competitors. Cosmetology students from Advance Cosmetology College
and stylist students Pavier and Sharonda will also compete.
Gilmer emphasized that it is an individual competition and not a studio versus studio event. After the stylists and barbers have done their thing backstage
under the watchful eye of the judges, they will parade across the stage with a 100 foot screen showing up-close views of each hairstyle being exhibited.
Crosby and Gilmer view this not as a sedate fashion affair, but as an interactive audience experience. “The Mister of Ceremonies will be comedian/showman
David Freeman,” Gilmer said. “The point is to engage the audience. He will be looking for feedback. The models want feedback. The stylists want feedback
because ultimately, let’s say you don’t like a hairstyle. How will they know not to try it again next time? We’ll let them improve on it so next time, they can
improve upon the audience’s support. It’s a give and take all night. We want to show as much love and encouragement and support to everyone.”
“The audience will let the judges know who they like,” Crosby added. “So the audience can sway the judging. It’s going to be kind of loud and fun. There’s going
to be a lot of laughing and screaming. It’s going to be very high energy. That’s the goal.”
The doors open at 5 p.m. where people will be welcome to dine at the Orpheum before the show and peruse the vendor booths, which will be lining the
Orpheum’s lobby and atrium. Among the vendors will be Wigs Too, Styles 4 US, Indulge Day Spa, The Skin Care Source and McCribbs Scents who will be
exhibiting their products and giving away free gifts.
And interspersed with style showcase will be performances by DJ Surprise, Crushing All Forces, Hustle Squad, Comedian Lady Regina and Total Chaos, a
kids’ dance group out of Hammond, Indiana.
Hair Battle may be the start to an annual competition to see who is putting out the most trend-setting coifs and give the winners bragging rights for the year.
It is also a time for people to experience styles across cultural lines with African American, Latino and Euro-American stylists represented. “We want the
community to feel included,” Gilmer said. “We want people from all races, colors, ages and creed to come.”
Tickets for Hair Battle are $20 and can be purchased at the Orpheum Theater, 216 State Street. Hair Battle takes place Friday December 5. Doors open at 5
p.m. and the styling competition begins at 7:15 p.m. A free afterset party for audience members 21 years old and older will be held immediately after the
competiton.
Madison? Why not now?”
Gilmer and Crosby came up with the idea to create their own Hair Battle right here in Madison December 5 at the Orpheum Theater. They contacted
barbers, hairstylists and cosmetology students to get them to compete. A judge’s panel consisting of hair product store owners and others connected to the
industry will judge their creations on originality, technique, neatness and design. So far, they have lined up NIECY from Changing Faces in Milwaukee, Gaylene
from African Creations Studio in Madison, Charity from Iris in Madison and Courtney from Salon X in Stoughton as the stylist competitors and Lamar from Style &
Grace, Reggie from House of Jollof and Dee from Genesis International as the barber competitors. Cosmetology students from Advance Cosmetology College
and stylist students Pavier and Sharonda will also compete.
Gilmer emphasized that it is an individual competition and not a studio versus studio event. After the stylists and barbers have done their thing backstage
under the watchful eye of the judges, they will parade across the stage with a 100 foot screen showing up-close views of each hairstyle being exhibited.
Crosby and Gilmer view this not as a sedate fashion affair, but as an interactive audience experience. “The Mister of Ceremonies will be comedian/showman
David Freeman,” Gilmer said. “The point is to engage the audience. He will be looking for feedback. The models want feedback. The stylists want feedback
because ultimately, let’s say you don’t like a hairstyle. How will they know not to try it again next time? We’ll let them improve on it so next time, they can
improve upon the audience’s support. It’s a give and take all night. We want to show as much love and encouragement and support to everyone.”
“The audience will let the judges know who they like,” Crosby added. “So the audience can sway the judging. It’s going to be kind of loud and fun. There’s going
to be a lot of laughing and screaming. It’s going to be very high energy. That’s the goal.”
The doors open at 5 p.m. where people will be welcome to dine at the Orpheum before the show and peruse the vendor booths, which will be lining the
Orpheum’s lobby and atrium. Among the vendors will be Wigs Too, Styles 4 US, Indulge Day Spa, The Skin Care Source and McCribbs Scents who will be
exhibiting their products and giving away free gifts.
And interspersed with style showcase will be performances by DJ Surprise, Crushing All Forces, Hustle Squad, Comedian Lady Regina and Total Chaos, a
kids’ dance group out of Hammond, Indiana.
Hair Battle may be the start to an annual competition to see who is putting out the most trend-setting coifs and give the winners bragging rights for the year.
It is also a time for people to experience styles across cultural lines with African American, Latino and Euro-American stylists represented. “We want the
community to feel included,” Gilmer said. “We want people from all races, colors, ages and creed to come.”
Tickets for Hair Battle are $20 and can be purchased at the Orpheum Theater, 216 State Street. Hair Battle takes place Friday December 5. Doors open at 5
p.m. and the styling competition begins at 7:15 p.m. A free afterset party for audience members 21 years old and older will be held immediately after the
competiton.
Antonette Crosby (l-r) and Joyce Gilmer are bringing
Hair Battle to Madison December 5.
Hair Battle to Madison December 5.
By Jonathan Gramling
Where do may people spend their time on the weekend when they aren’t in church? Well, the local
barbershop and hair styling salon get their fair share of customers on a Saturday morning, a place to get
primped and catch up on everything that is going on in the community.
What we do with hair has inspired everything from Broadway musicals to reality television shows. A Hair
Battle tour was set up earlier this year that will be touring the country in search of contestants who will
compete on a reality television show. But the Hair Battle stuck to the big cities like Atlanta, New York and
Los Angeles and bypassed cities like Madison.
Joyce Gilmer, owner of Greek II Greek and Antonette Crosby, a local hair stylist felt that places like
Madison were filled with barbers and stylists who can compete. “The big promoters say there is no
audience here,” Crosby said as we sat sipping coffee at a west side restaurant. “There is an audience
here. We need to let other areas such as Chicago and Milwaukee know that we do have an audience
here that is capable of bringing in some money. They need to stop bypassing Madison. Come to
Madison. We have Latinos who do hair, Caucasians who do hair and Asians who do hair. And we do hair
well. It’s a small town, but we do have big talent.”
Where do may people spend their time on the weekend when they aren’t in church? Well, the local
barbershop and hair styling salon get their fair share of customers on a Saturday morning, a place to get
primped and catch up on everything that is going on in the community.
What we do with hair has inspired everything from Broadway musicals to reality television shows. A Hair
Battle tour was set up earlier this year that will be touring the country in search of contestants who will
compete on a reality television show. But the Hair Battle stuck to the big cities like Atlanta, New York and
Los Angeles and bypassed cities like Madison.
Joyce Gilmer, owner of Greek II Greek and Antonette Crosby, a local hair stylist felt that places like
Madison were filled with barbers and stylists who can compete. “The big promoters say there is no
audience here,” Crosby said as we sat sipping coffee at a west side restaurant. “There is an audience
here. We need to let other areas such as Chicago and Milwaukee know that we do have an audience
here that is capable of bringing in some money. They need to stop bypassing Madison. Come to
Madison. We have Latinos who do hair, Caucasians who do hair and Asians who do hair. And we do hair
well. It’s a small town, but we do have big talent.”