Marissa Schaeffer, Co-Host

Marissa T. Schaeffer, PT, DPT, MBA, OCS, CSCS (she/her), entered the performing arts world with dreams of becoming a dancer. After a significant injury shifted her path, she discovered physical therapy as a way to stay connected to the art form she loved while supporting the people who bring it to life. That experience fueled her dedication to helping performers feel strong, safe, and respected as they navigate both the demands of their careers and the challenges of recovery.

Marissa earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy with honors from Columbia University and her MBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology. She is a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy and a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Over the course of her career, she has worked in some of New York City’s leading performing arts physical therapy clinics and served as Senior Physical Therapist at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. There, she treated both students and company members, developed cross-training and wellness initiatives, and toured with the main company.

In 2021, Marissa founded FlySpace Physical Therapy with the vision of creating a clinic where performers could feel not only cared for physically, but also understood and valued as whole people. Informed by her work as co-host of the DanceWell Podcast—and the many conversations with performing arts medicine professionals that shaped her thinking—she has built a practice that emphasizes context, collaboration, and community. FlySpace has since grown to serve a wide range of performers both in the clinic and on-site with organizations such as Steps on Broadway, Roundabout Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, GALLIM, Gibney Dance, Pilobolus, Parsons Dance, and many more.

Marissa’s commitment to the field extends beyond clinical care. She teaches annually at the Kennedy Center Dance Lab in Washington, DC, and at Alvin Ailey’s Horton Teacher Conference, coordinates physical therapy services for touring productions, and presents regularly at national conferences. She is a published author in the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, Medical Problems of Performing Artists, and Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Practice, and has contributed to Dance Magazine, Dance Informa, Dance Teacher Magazine, and Dance Studio Life. As co-host of the DanceWell Podcast, one of her greatest pleasures is continuing to learn from and amplify the voices of those working to support performing artists worldwide.