The first two weekends of the Hair Games 2009 charity fundraiser have come to an end, and you can almost cut the tension with a pair of shears.

Barcode Nightclub held the first week's competition and drummed up excitement with a performance by students from Citrus Heights' Jerry Lee Beauty College, who decked out their models and dancers in unconventional wedding gowns and not-so-traditional wedding-day hairstyles. Following the brides' performance was a face-off between Salons Within and downtown Space 07 Salon.

In a flurry of insane hair and using an arsenal of hairspray and dye, Salons Within took the stage first with a Barbie doll-themed show. The audience was given a rendition of Cher's "Turn Back Time" as her "Barbies" from throughout the decades danced and paraded with both sophisticated and over the top 'dos (see pictures).

Using another doll theme, Space 07 chose to show its Marie Antoinette-esque bouffants with an upbeat hip-hop dance performance by human "dolls," complete with joints painted on their arms and legs. At the end of their high-energy display, one of the "dolls" held up a "To be Continued..." sign, and as it turned out, she couldn't have been more right. Space 07 was announced as the winner of the first week's semifinal round.

In the second week of the semifinal rounds, Rio Linda's Hair Gone Wild and Sacramento's Luxe salon delivered a tough competition Using glow-in-the dark hair extensions, neon feathers, body grease and ring girls, Hair Gone Wild's participants staged a mock fight with a "Total Knock Out" theme. The Luxe girls, with a "Sizzling Siren" theme, captivated the crowd with a burlesque performance complete with fishnets, sky-high stilettos and a whip. Although it was a close call, Hair Gone Wild was the night's champion.

Next Saturday Bellara, Head Games and Studio Q will battle, followed by Visions and another salon (to be determined) the following Saturday.

Space 07 and Hair Gone Wild will continue on to the grand finale on May 30 along with the other semifinalists in hopes of taking home the grand prize. CHI/Farouk, who is sponsoring the event, will be awarding all members of the winning salon airfare and a two-day stay at the CHI/Farouk Academy in Houston (the company's headquarters).

Judges for the event include organizers Patty Neher of Maly's and Jo Ann Baumert of Bella Toscano Salon as well as a representative for Perry Communications Group and Tim Kuster of hair empire CHI/Farouk.

All of the funds raised from ticket sales will go toward Village Care International (VCI), and Barcode owner Mason Wong has agreed to donate a percentage of cover charges generated from the event as well. VCI is a local charity that gives assistance to widows and orphans in Africa who are victims of the AIDS pandemic.

For more information, visit hairgames2009.com. Stay tuned for the finale recap in the coming weeks.