Robyn Ellenbogen of Shrewsbury is using aspects of Jewish meditation to teach the arts to autistic children.
Photo by Jill Huber
November 4, 2008
“Discovering the Spirit Within,” a new arts program in Red Bank for children with autism spectrum disorders, has encompassed some aspects of Jewish meditation, courtesy of one of the project’s coordinators.
Artist/educator Robyn Ellenbogen of Shrewsbury has joined with the Count Basie Theatre Cool School to create the 10-week weekend workshop, which began in October. The program offers children dealing with autism an opportunity to engage in artistic pursuits that will stimulate their talents and imaginations, Ellenbogen said.
“In a broad sense, my teaching practices are influenced by my experience with Jewish meditation,” Ellenbogen said. “I apply what I learned about the spirit of mindfulness, which encourages compassion and patience, and discourages judgmental attitudes.
“It’s about getting out of the way of someone else,” she said. “The children’s art projects are not about my idea of what they should create — it’s about encouraging their ideas.”
Ellenbogen has studied Jewish meditation for the last five years, and still attends retreats at Elat Chayim, a Jewish retreat center in upstate New York.
“My interest in meditation was triggered by a beloved friend who encouraged me to examine where I came from,” she said. “I learned a lot about myself and my religion through prayer and silent meditation, and it has fueled my approach to teaching.”
Her intense study of meditation has allowed Ellenbogen to become more open to spontaneity, which is an important element of teaching methods for special-needs children, she said.
“My study of meditation has enabled me to share my personal understanding of being an artist with these children,” she said. “I put a high premium on spontaneity.”
The new Count Basie program incorporates music, theater, and visual arts, all of which are designed to create a multi-sensory experience that develops and refines communication skills and creativity, Ellenbogen said.
“That’s what art is all about,” she said. “Our goal is to enable these youngsters to function as independent, productive, and empowered individuals.”
‘Inspiring muse’
The program for those with autism spectrum disorders was developed in response to the increasing number of New Jersey children who have been diagnosed with autism, according to Yvonne Lamb Scudiery, Count Basie Theatre’s education director.
The theater, she said, “recognizes that arts education is an important part of child development, and it’s a far more integral component to their education and creative evolvement,” she said. “We realize that there is a desperate need for this type of initiative, and we’re fortunate to have found Robyn, who is a most inspiring muse.”
Ellenbogen, who grew up in New York City and received fine arts degrees from the School of Visual Arts and Hunter College, is a former arts education director of the Monmouth County Arts Council. Her own work includes oil paintings, watercolors, pencil drawings, and work with textiles. Among other venues, her work has been displayed at the 92nd Street Y in New York.
Ellenbogen was part of an interdisciplinary program for teachers at New York’s Lincoln Center Institute. She created an art studio in a barn on her Shrewsbury property, where she conducts art classes and works on her own projects.
Much of her art incorporates Judaism and its many interpretations. In recent years, Ellenbogen has been studying the Book of Genesis as a metaphor for artistic development. As the themes of birth and creation began to merge, she said, she realized she wanted her work to contain some form of Jewish influence.
“Many of my pieces reflect the themes of sanctuary and refuge, which are very Jewish concepts,” she said. “The meditative processes of concentration, examination, and reflection have inspired me to delve deeply into Jewish history and tradition. I’ve been inspired by the calming influences of Jewish prayer and the religion’s emphasis on living a constructive yet peaceful life.”
The time is right for program development for the special-needs children, she said
“Awareness of autism is growing, along with ways to include this formerly underserved population in life and the arts,” said Ellenbogen. “The new Count Basie program is like a studio within a village — it’s a place where the children can be nurtured and inspired.”
Additional information about the “Discovering the Spirit Within” program is available by calling Lamb Scudiery at 732-224-8778, ext. 106, or by visiting www.countbasietheatre.org.
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