The Woodpecker (Work in Progress Showing)

Work‑In‑Progress Screening of “The Woodpecker”
Director Tony Waag and Tap Icon Brenda Bufalino in Attendance

Rosendale Theatre proudly presents a special Dance on Film program featuring a work‑in‑progress presentation of a new documentary, “The Woodpecker” by director Tony Waag that chronicles the groundbreaking artistry and historic impact of tap dancer, choreographer, and educator Brenda Bufalino. Through rare archival footage, full‑length performances, and intimate conversations, the film traces Bufalino’s pivotal role in transforming tap dance from a variety act into a respected concert art form.

Bufalino’s avant‑garde performances in the early 1970s helped ignite what became known as “The Tap Dance Revival,” beginning with teaching tap to her students at SUNY New Paltz and ultimately sparking a global renaissance in percussive dance. This one‑time screening event offers an extraordinary opportunity to experience selections from “The Woodpecker,” including performances featuring Honi Coles and The Copasetics, Bufalino’s celebrated duets and solos, and excerpts from landmark productions such as “The American Tap Dance Orchestra” and the PBS special “Tap Dance in America with Gregory Hines.”

The program will conclude with an in‑person conversation between filmmaker Tony Waag and Brenda Bufalino, offering audiences a rare chance to hear directly from one of tap dance’s most influential innovators and her decades‑long commitment to elevating the art form.

For dance lovers, film enthusiasts, and anyone interested in American cultural history, “The Woodpecker” illuminates the resilience, artistry, and community that brought tap dance roaring back into the spotlight!