MOVING ARTS | SETTING HEARTS ABLAZE

MOVING ARTS | Setting Hearts Ablaze demonstrates how creative exploration and expression move at-risk kids from trauma into trust.

Through art, including dance, music, painting, photography, video, computer graphics, and gymnastics, children can heal physically, mentally, and emotionally by providing a necessary outlet for personal expression.

The film includes heartfelt interviews, stunning visuals, and a dramatic narrative (conceived by a former Moving Arts student and now teacher) that addresses the current epidemic of grandparents and extended family members raising up to 60% of students the Espanola school district. Additionally, the film features a dance performed by an alum student that represents the constraints of traditional teaching methods.

As the story evolves, we see how Moving Arts Espanola's core belief that 'art is medicine' is embedded in the souls of founders Roger Montoya, a 2019 CNN Hero, and Salvador Ruiz. As well as the teachers, former students, and volunteers. We take the viewer through a vibrant community where creative expression and experiential learning are encouraged and applauded.