HAIRWORLD - THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE

Wednesday, July 25, 2007
8:00-9:00 p.m. ET, PBS

Acclaimed Documentary Filmmaker Mark Lewis ("The Natural History of the Chicken") follows the United States Hair Styling Team in His Latest Special for PBS.

HAIRWORLD: THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE follows the National Cosmetology Association’s (NCA) Team USA as its members clip, comb and spray their way to the 31st HairWorld Championships in Moscow, Russia, where 800 stylists from 50 countries compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in timed tests of styling skill. The program airs Wednesday, July 25, 2007, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings as air times vary by market).

Often described as the "Olympics" of hairdressing, HAIRWORLD captures the vivid sculptures of hair, the daring couture, the stunning models and the cheers of the crowd as high fashion meets fierce international rivalry in this battle of the bouffant. "Just imagine the sporting Olympics with all the different countries represented and all of the noise and all of the pride and the cheering," explains NCA competitor Dale Dees. "That is how our Olympic event is. It's the same energy. It's the same power. It's the same camaraderie. Even though you can't understand each other, you know that hair looks pretty darn amazing, and so you understand that."

Although the competition in the main categories can last less than an hour, preparation takes many months. HAIRWORLD follows the three NCA team trainers, Ron Hawkins in North Carolina, Andrea Turrisi in Connecticut and Michael Della Penna in Florida, as they embark on rigorous training with their teams. Each competitor works with his or her trainer to create the perfect look, balancing originality and complexity with the constraints of the competition. For months before competition, they practice their prescribed hairstyles time after time, day after day. "There's no days off," insists competitor Danny DiLeo. "There's no 'let's go to the movies'; there's none of that. It's absolutely train, train, and train, and then … train."

Viewers meet some of the members of the NCA’s Team USA as they prepare for what may be the most important day of their careers. Dale Dees from Orlando, Florida, discovered his passion for hairstyling while singing and dancing in a traveling theatre group. Dees left the theatre and joined cosmetology school, but it wasn't long before he found himself in the spotlight again - this time on the competition floor. "It consumes your life to be a stylist; it really does. It has to be something that is in your blood. It has to be something you eat, drink, sleep and breathe." Although each character is diverse in background, each expresses the same love, passion and fierce ambition for competitive hairstyling. "The focus is the creativity and having the love," says team trainer Ron Hawkins. "I think that plays an important factor, is having the love of being able to do it and being involved in it. You've got to love it."

As HairWorld draws closer, Team USA fights to overcome dramatic setbacks - a devastating flood and a shocking wrist injury - until their creative visions finally unfold strand by strand on the competition floor.

THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE, a series of four one-hour films, celebrates the ambition, determination and passion of those who pursue distinction in slightly unconventional fields. Each film showcases the training and preparation required to be competitive and reveals the surprising, and sometimes heartbreaking, results of that dedication. The featured characters, diverse in background, are endearing and sympathetic, people consumed by their individual quests for excellence. Other programs in the series include SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING (7/11), FERRETS (7/18) and LORDS OF THE GOURD (fall 2007).

Filmmaker Mark Lewis' THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE CHICKEN was screened in competition at Sundance and was named by The New York Times one of the top 10 television programs for 2001. Lewis won two Emmys for the film: Outstanding Science Program and Outstanding Direction.

OMC HairWorld 2008 Rules Are Now Available!

Known as the "Olympics of Hair," the 2008 OMC HairWorld Championships of Beauty will draw more than 1,200 competitors and teams representing 50 plus countries. The OMC HairWorld Championship Arena will be the setting of the thrilling three-day competitions, which will include contests in hair, nails and makeup, many of which offer separate awards for "seniors" (licensed professionals) and juniors (professionals and students under the age of 25).

If you are interested in competing at HairWorld 2008, click here to download the rules and registration information.

To attend the HairWorld 2008 Championships, simply register at www.AmericasBeautyShow.com. Your America 's Beauty Show ticket will include general admission to the competition arena and the trade show floor! And don't forget, ALL NCA MEMBERS RECEIVE FREE ADMISSION when they pre-register with the show!!!!

Email: nca1@ncacares.org
Phone: 312.527.6765
Online: www.ncacares.org