Brittany Lee, 19, cosmetology major, and Jennifer Lau, 21, cosmetology major, practice hair and makeup on their model Selenia Loster, 20, cosmetology. The hair show will take place April 25 at the Haugh Performing Arts Center. (Sylvia Aparicio/Clarion)
By Sylvia Aparicio | Online Editor
The Citrus Cosmetology department is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month.
Titled “Global Flair,” the spring semester spectacular is set to showcase the talents of students from all cosmetology programs April 25 at 7 p.m. in the Haugh Performing Arts Center.
“I chose the name Global Flair because the students are drawing inspiration from the continents of Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, South America and Australia,” said cosmetology professor, Patty Glover.
“The community is interested in not just the day-to-day styles that the students do, but they enjoy seeing how the students use the techniques taught here at Citrus Cosmetology.”
Master of Ceremonies will once again be Bruce Langford, professor of fine and performing arts.
A panel of judges, consisting of local salon owners and Citrus cosmetology alumni, will assess the students’ work before the catwalk begins. Winners are announced during the show.
“Every year there are amazing surprises,” said Daniel Holm, cosmetology professor. “The variety of what people can come up with never ceases to amaze me.”
“I look forward to the shock and awe of every show. It never disappoints.”
While students follow a few guidelines, they are given a great amount of artistic freedom in creating their designs.
Cosmetology students Sophia Nyborg-Andersen, 20, and her classmate Nicole Jimenez, 23, were exploring ideas from South America and Asia for their theme. They ultimately chose to go with Russia.
With Nyborg-Andersen doing makeup and Jimenez taking control of hair, their anticipation builds to see what they and their classmates will pull off.
“I really like colors, and I feel like there’s a lot of stuff to work with,” Nyborg-Andersen said. “Nobody ever wants to do the same look that somebody else is doing, but you never know until the day of,” Nyborg-Andersen said.
Students are paired with models who are usually their classmates but occasionally may be a friend or even a stranger.
Melody Ruiz, 23, a cosmetology and business major, will be working backstage during the show. For Ruiz, the significance of the hair show and cosmetology in general goes far deeper than a love of fashion.
Growing up, Ruiz and her best friend Yazmeen Hassan would spend their time with Hassan’s grandmother while she worked in a salon. Both decided that they wanted to open a salon together when they got older. However, in 2009, Hassan died.
“It pushed me to keep going with that dream,” Ruiz said. “There are times when I just want to give up, and then I start thinking ‘No, she doesn’t want me to.’ “
“If she was still with me, we’d both be going right now.”
“I will own that salon, and it will be called ‘Flawless.’ It was her nickname,” Ruiz said.
Nyborg-Andersen’s passion for cosmetology stems from the thrill of seeing a drastic change occur in front of her eyes.
“I enjoy being able to help people feel better about themselves,” Nyborg-Andersen said. “I like seeing people get so excited on the day of their prom or any other event.
“You just feel the way they feel, and you can sense the confidence that they’ve gotten.”
Doors open for the hair show at 6:30 p.m. with a show time of 7 p.m.
