Symphony Gala to Highlight New Dancing 'Stars'

A lawyer, an insurance expert, a local newspaper editor, a realtor, a professional pianist and a professor/violinist will be dancing for dollars as they step onto the dance floor at the 2015 Redlands Symphony Gala on Saturday, June 6 in Orton Center on the campus of the University of Redlands. This year’s dancers include Shirley Harry, Joe Henehan, Toni Momberger, Bryan Reid, Art Svenson and Lara Urrutia. Dancers raise money to support the Redlands Symphony by enlisting the help of family and friends who can show their support by voting for the dancer of their choice. Votes cost $1, with all proceeds from dancer votes supporting the Symphony’s music education programs for kids and the orchestra’s regular season of concerts. “This year’s troupe of dancers promises to be one of the most dedicated ever,” said Gala Chair Mary Carruthers. “We are so delighted to have these community-minded people give their time and talent to help raise money for Redlands Symphony. The dancers are an important element of our Gala’s overall financial success, some years earning more than $30,000 for the event. We urge everyone to support them.” Each dancer is provided with a professional dance partner/instructor and receives free lessons from the Fox Dance Center or the Arthur Murray Studio, both in Redlands. Dancer Shirley Harry is all about the arts. Whether it’s as a former owner of the Eos Gallery of Art in Redlands, a collector of fine arts and crafts pieces from around the world, or helping others present their artwork as one of the guiding forces behind the Redlands Festival of Arts, Harry can usually be found in the middle of all things artistic. She is a longtime Redlands resident and has been a realtor with Lois Lauer, Inc. for narly 40 years. The Redlands Association of Realtors has twice recognized Harry as Realtor and Realtor Association of the year. Harry is past president of the YWCA, the United Way, the Cultural Foundation, P.E.O, and the Rotary Club of Redlands. She is currently the vice chair of the San Bernardino County Museum Commission and has been honored as Redlands Woman of the Year while Inland Empire Magazine honored her as Redlands Citizen of the Year. She has also been honored as one of Town and Gown’s Women of Distinction. Harry will dance to “The Merry Widow Waltz” for Dancing with the Stars, saying that she loves listening to the music. “It inspires me!” she said. She is a widow and has five children, nine grandchildren and a new great-granddaugher. Dancer Joe Henehan is known to many as an expert in the insurance industry, as president and CEO of The Henehan Company in Redlands and also respected as an industry pioneer in the planning and design of medical and health savings accounts. On the flip side, he is also known for his roles as a singer and dancer in community theater productions and will soon be known as one of the dancing stars in the 2015 Redlands Symphony Gala. Henehan and his wife, Susie, have three grown daughters and three grandchildren, with one on the way. The Henehans have lived in Redlands for several years, with only a short break when they resided in Dana Point, Calif. They currently live in the old Carriage House of a local architectural treasure, the Morey Mansion (a separate property from the Morey Mansion itself). “I love to dance,” said Henehan. “I’m looking forward to learning my routine and being a part of the showcase on Gala night. We love Redlands, and I’m excited about helping raise money to help the Redlands Symphony continue its role in making this a special place to live.” The Henehans are very active at the First Congregational Church of Redlands. Toni Chapman Momberger, another dancer, gives new meaning to the phrase “home-grown.” Born at Redlands Community Hospital in the late 1960s, Momberger has lived her entire life in Redlands (except for her college years in Boulder, Colo.). Now in her fourth year as editor of the Redlands Daily Facts, she has had an award-winning career as a newspaper journalist that has included covering local real estate news and work on five other local newspapers. She has been married to her husband, Douglas, for 23 years, and they have two children, Hunter Albert, 22, and Carlisle Dianne, 20. Her great-grandparents, In-Wan Park and Conception “Concha” Perez, came to Redlands as children in the 1800s. “I am honored and proud to be contributing to the success of the Gala and the Redlands Symphony,” said Momberg. “It’s one of the things that makes Redlands a desirable community.” She is a Redlands Sunrise Rotarian and a board member of the Redlands AAUW. She has been a member of the Assistance League’s Heritage Auxiliary and has twice served as the mistress of ceremonies at summer Redlands Bowl concerts. Dancer Bryan Reid comes from a long line of Redlands residents. His grandparents moved to Redlands from Oklahoma back in the day and ever since, for a total of four generations, Redlands has been home to the Reid family. Reid and his wife Susan have been married for 24 years and raised their two children in Redlands. Daughter Katelyn is now a middle school teacher, and son Davis is a student at Colorado State University. “I am unapologetically passionate about my family,” said Reid. “That includes my wife, kids, my parents, my siblings, their kids… you name it, I’m a major family fanatic.” For 24 years, Reid has been a civil trial lawyer, focusing on the defense of healthcare and long-term care providers. He loves outdoor activities, including surfing, hiking, kayaking and exploring and is an avid follower of the LA Kings. Reid's community service resume is long and storied. He has been a member of the Redlands Sunrise Rotary for about 15 years and has served the group as its president. He serves on the board of Redlands Community Hospital Foundation and is also a board member of the Inland Wellness Information Network. “I am looking forward to being referred to as a ‘star’ for a period of months,” Reid said. “As a longtime trial lawyer, I have been referred to with many different and interesting superlatives. ‘Star’ has never been one of them. Kidding aside, I am truly honored and humbled to be asked to participate in this most worthwhile endeavor. Redlands Symphony contributes to the grace, culture, bonds and legacy of this community, and I hope that my participation in the Gala will provide the Symphony with meaningful financial and energetic support.”  Art Svenson, another dancer, is a man of many talents and passions. By day, he is the David Boies Professor of Political Science at the University of Redlands. By night, Svenson is an active professional violinist who has performed for 34 years as the Principal Second Violin with the Redlands Symphony. He has twice been named Mortar Board Professor of the Year by University of Redlands students. In addition to many other awards, he was awarded a Fulbright Schoolarship in 2011 to teach constitutional law at Renmin University in Beijing, China. As a musician, Svenson describes his tenure with the Redlands Symphony as “joyful, sublime, ridiculously passionate, challenging, and filled with moments that will last a lifetime.” He and his wife Nancy (who also works at the U of R) have lived in Redlands for 34 years with two children adopted from China: Elle, 11, and CeCe, who died of leukemia at age 9 in 2012. Svenson says he is happiest when traveling with his family, “exploring the planet’s great cities, open spaces, and vistas.” He’s also an avid road/mountain bike “warrior” and can recite the route, time, and his personal rate and miles for every ride he’s taken since 1984. He is a member of Town and Gown and a past member of the City of Redlands Cultural Arts Commission. Svenson describes himself as a passionate Yankees fan, an aspiring chef, and a “failed but earnest” tomato grower, among other interests. “I consider the Redlands Symphony Orchestra my BFF,” said Svenson. “I’m delighted to have yet another way to support this wonderful organization.” Music is also a big part of dancer Lara Urrutia’s life. A Lecturer at the University of Redlands School of Music, she also heads the accompanying department and is responsible for scheduling accompanists for most of the guest recitals, student and faculty performances, conferences, and symposiums on campus. Urrutia is also the pianist/organist for Redlands United Church of Christ. “Since my student days at the U of R, the symphony has held a special place in my heart,” Urrutia said. “I was very fortunate as an undergrad to have played with the Redlands Symphony, so having the chance to pay it forward by fundraising is a wonderful opportunity for me.” She recently became engaged “to the love of [her] life,” and the couple, both pianists, are planning a 2016 wedding in Redlands, where they plan to settle and raise their family. When she’s not tinkling the ivories, Urrutia is an enthusiastic cook and enjoys taking hikes with Mazy, her Great Pyrenees. She loves collecting art, cross-stitching and also plays the accordion. She’s “obsessed” with her succulent collection and is an avid believer in feng shui. “I plan on having fun and doing something totally different from my daily life as a member of Dancing with the Stars,” she said. “I admire dancers for their hard work, dedication and grace, so to have a taste of what it takes to be a dancer will be eye-opening.”