dsmWeekly - June 11, 2025

After more than a decade as a dancer with the Miami City Ballet and Philadelphia Ballet, Trope (pictured) recently served as an interim artistic director for the Lexington Ballet in Kentucky and spent the previous few years as a freelance dancer, choreographer, teacher and repetiteur — someone who coaches dancers to learn a choreographer’s movements — for major festivals and companies across North America and Europe.

He participated in the dance workshop for Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” appeared in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and frequently teamed up with Justin Peck, who this week won his third Tony Award for his choreography in “Buena Vista Social Club.” Trope has staged Peck’s work for national ballet companies in Finland, Spain and the Czech Republic.

“I’ve learned a lot from other companies,” Trope said. “I go into these big state-funded companies with 60 or 70 dancers — massive operations — and it’s very intimidating. I have to force myself in those circumstances to learn how the system works, to learn what the dancers take to and what they don’t.”

Ballet Des Moines, by contrast, has just 11 principal dancers and as many apprentices and trainees. But it also has unusual artistic freedom.

“Lots of companies have to answer to boards with specific opinions” about what to program, Trope said. “When I asked Tom, ‘So, who do I run my season past?’ He said, ‘You decide for yourself.’ That was a big appeal to me. That’s rare.”

When he interviewed with the company this spring, he could see “it was doing things differently,” he said, noting its approach to the ballet business resonated with his own. “It doesn’t have to be toxic. It can be collaborative. You can create art from kindness, from a shared experience. It doesn’t have to be some painstaking process.”

Mattingly (pictured) said he came to Des Moines four years ago for similar reasons. In the wake of the COVID pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement, dance companies across the country started placing more emphasis on outreach and diversity. Here in Des Moines, Mattingly programmed a slate of works choreographed by women, especially women of color, who are still relatively underrepresented in the dance world.

Under the leadership of executive director Blaire Massa, the company has toured statewide, completed a nearly $5 million capital campaign and moved into new headquarters downtown.

“I’ve been here four years, but I think there’s been more than four years of growth. Every year we’re just building and building and building,” Mattingly said. “Having Eric come in with a fresh set of eyes to see what’s possible, it’s going to be exciting to see the next era.”

Meantime, the company plans to formally introduce Trope to the public on Thursday evening at Water Works Park. The program is part of its statewide summer STEM tour, with science and art activities organized in part by the Science Center of Iowa and NASA Iowa Space Grant Consortium starting at 5 p.m. followed by a ballet performance at 6:30 p.m. at the Lauridsen Amphitheater.

Local musician Aaron Finkle will be playing jazzy tunes near Ted’s Coney Island on Wednesday.

BEST BET

Doodle, dine and dance through the week

From June 14 to 21, you'll have another reason to stroll along Ingersoll and Grand avenues. Art on The Avenues, a collaboration between the business district and surrounding neighborhoods, kicks off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, when artists plan to show off their work on 38th Street. The block will be closed off for a free celebration with art, music and food.

Foodies, feast your eyes on culinary creativity all week. Chefs and mixologists will team up with local artists to create unique art-inspired menu items at Oak Park, Harbinger, The Bartender’s Handshake and other neighborhood hot spots.

Smaller events are scheduled throughout the week. Visit the patio at Palmer’s Deli on Monday through Friday to get creative with the Doodle Wall. At 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, paint a rock at Chamberlain Park and hide it nearby or take it home to decorate your yard. Stroll by the City Sounds piano by Ted’s Coney Island from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday to hear jazz. Check out a full schedule on the website.

The Week Ahead

Firelei Baez, opening Friday, Des Moines Art Center. The Dominican artist whose installation made from emergency tarps was part of last year’s “Hurricane Season” exhibition gets the whole Meredith Gallery to herself this time. Stop by the opening reception, 5-7 p.m. Friday, to see the artwork that explores anthropology, geography, folklore and other Afro-Caribbean cross-currents. At 6 p.m., Baez plans to discuss her work with Art Center director Kelly Baum.

Emancipation Day, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Living History Farms in Urbandale. Even though Iowa entered the Union as a free state in 1846, the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 still reverberated here for many Black Iowans who had once been enslaved. Learn more during a day to commemorate Juneteenth.

Cajun Fest, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, The Hall DSM. Dubbed the Mardi Gras of the Midwest, Cajun Fest is an all-day celebration of Cajun culture. Louisiana transplants and Iowa natives bring food, live music and interactive entertainment to the party.

People’s Pride, 12-5 p.m. Saturday, Water Works Park. Visit the park for a community-centered pride celebration featuring local queer vendors and performances, a book exchange and complimentary food and drinks.

Free Range Music and BBQ Festival, 3-11 p.m. Saturday, Jasper Winery. The festival will feature a mouthwatering lineup of local barbecue, craft brews, live music and family-friendly fun.

Films with roots: The Interrobang Film Festival returns June 27-29 as part of the Des Moines Arts Festival, showcasing nearly 12 hours of independent films from around the world inside the Des Moines Public Library on Grand Avenue. Among the 24 films in this year’s lineup, four have Iowa connections:

“Light Painter” (2 p.m. June 28): A behind-the-scenes look at Iowa-based Master Photographer Dan McClanahan and his dramatic light-focused portraits.
“The Entomologist’s Wife” (4:30 p.m. June 28): A darkly stylized short film from Iowa-raised director Shelby Hagerdon, inspired by classic German expressionist cinema.
“The North Star” (3:15 p.m. June 28): Featuring rare vintage footage, this documentary by Des Moines-based duo Bryan and Sarah Vanderpool explores a family legacy captured on film.
“Tinker” (3:15 p.m. June 28): A short film by Ryan Adams that profiles Iowa artist Braden Dexter and his whimsical, memory-rich creations.

Admission is free, and panel discussions will round out the weekend.

Temple tunes: Des Moines Performing Arts announced the 2025-26 Prairie Meadows Live at the Temple Concert Series lineup. The five-show season includes performances from Americana standout Amythyst Kiah (pictured), blues guitarist Duke Tumatoe, jazz artist Delbert Anderson, Iowa native Susan Werner, plus the reunion tour of “On a Winter’s Night” featuring Patty Larkin, Cliff Eberhardt, John Gorka, and Lucy Kaplansky. An add-on concert, “Both Sides Now,” will celebrate the music of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen in November. Season ticket packages are on sale now at dmpa.org.

By Rylie Smith

I sat down with Ren Fisher on a sunny afternoon at Saints Rest in Grinnell. She ordered a matcha, although her go-to is two shots of espresso over ice with a splash of heavy cream. She’s dressed in a boxy emerald tee, cotton boxer-style shorts from a sustainable brand and her signature: layers of silver jewelry.

“If I’m not wearing jewelry, I feel naked,” she says. “It’s my uniform. Everything builds from there.”

Fisher is a stylist and vintage collector who has accumulated a big following online and among the local vintage community.

The following Q&A has been lightly condensed for clarity.

How has your personal style evolved to where it is today?
It really has evolved a lot. As a kid, I was homeschooled and I used to change outfits three times a day, no joke. In high school I treated clothes like costume design, with really exaggerated looks. Then I went full hipster, biker vintage, and now I’ve landed somewhere more grounded: military-inspired, lots of menswear, vintage workwear and minimal basics.

What’s your go-to music vibe while getting dressed?
Usually hip-hop, Southern rap or soul. I’ll smoke a cigarette and sip coffee or matcha. I’m trying to quit coffee. Today’s my first matcha day. We’ll see how it goes.

You grew up in Grinnell. Did that shape how you think about clothing?
Definitely. My dad’s side is from Grinnell, my mom’s from Texas, so I grew up around workwear, ranch wear and handmade pieces. My grandma was a seamstress. Both sides of my family were farmers. At the time I didn’t want to dress like a farmer, but now I see the beauty and function in those clothes. I worked at a biker shop and even ran my own vintage store. Farmers would bring in old denim, overalls, Rainer jeans. I was always sourcing at estate sales, handling pieces that were actually worn and mended. Those experiences shaped how I shop and style now.

You mentioned you’re intentional about what you collect, especially when it comes to vintage.
Yeah, I’m obsessed with true vintage. Anything pre-1960s, before synthetic blends took over. The quality is just different. I have military pieces from the 1950s that have been through war and still hold up better than modern clothes. One of my favorite pieces is a pair of Arctic shell parachute pants from the Korean War. A friend found them in a trunk on a local farm.

What’s your most special piece?
My vintage Navajo squash-blossom necklace. It’s all turquoise and silver, probably more than 40 hours of handwork. I found it through a family whose mom collected pieces while traveling the Southwest in the '40s to '70s. It’s powerful. In Navajo culture, silver is said to ward off the spirit of poverty. That stuck with me.

Beyond collecting, you also style others. Tell us about your styling work.
I offer one-on-one style bundles that help people build a personal uniform, something that fits their body, energy and lifestyle. I work with clients in Iowa and around the world. Whether it’s refreshing a closet or starting from scratch, I want getting dressed to feel expressive and true to you. Even if you think you don’t care about fashion, you’re still getting dressed every day. Why not feel good in what you put on?

And how can people find you?
Instagram is the best (@renfisher99). I post styling work, vintage pulls and client bundles. Website’s coming soon!