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Tuesday 8am - 1pm Wednesday 8am - 1pm Thursday 8am - 1pm

FlySpace Physical Therapy

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FlySpace Physical Therapy

FlySpace is a physical therapy studio created by performing artists that rehabilitates clients for a

FlySpace is a physical therapy studio created by performing artists that rehabilitates clients for a pain-free life and teaches high-quality individualized movement tailored to each person’s performance situation

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween from 🤩
We want you to leave our care feeling 💥incredible💥

09/28/2025

Feeling all the warm and fuzzies after spending the better part of a week with performing arts medicine colleagues from across the globe. Thank you to for creating a space where like-minded individuals can come together to collaborate on projects, inspire one another, and shape the future of performing arts medicine.

If you missed my presentation on assessing chronic load in a conservatory style dance program, no worries—the timing was a little tricky and I know some of you couldn’t make it live. I’ve added the recording to my LinkTr.ee so you can catch up anytime. And ! I missed you as my co-presenter!

09/27/2025

It’s not enough for the healthcare team to be the only ones driving a culture of care—it truly takes a village.

Lasting cultural change requires collaboration among faculty, staff, management, and artistic directors to create systems that support the entire community. This might mean agreeing on how injuries are discussed, ensuring onsite services are used to their fullest potential, or clarifying referral pathways for performers who need additional care.

Success depends on everyone being aligned. That alignment comes through clear communication, consistent reinforcement, written processes, accessible resources, and, above all, time and patience.

Let’s commit to building that shared foundation and, together, strengthen the performing arts community.

09/22/2025

Thank you all for the lovely birthday wishes! Cheers to another year around the sun! ☀️🎉🎂

This year - like every year - was filled with ups, downs, major excitement, some disappointment, challenging conversations, my fair share of learning experiences, some sleepless nights, lots of laughter, some new beginnings, lots of new partnerships and relationships, plenty of adventures, and a hefty dose of change. Somehow, these years get faster and better with each passing one. I’m grateful to be alive and to have such an incredible network of friends and people in my corner. I love you all!

X, Marissa

09/21/2025

✨ Calling All Performing Arts PTs! ✨

FlySpace PT is coordinating on-site physical therapy services for I Put A Spell on You at Webster Hall on October 19 & 20. This incredible annual benefit raises funds for the Ali Forney Center, supporting LGBTQ+ and at-risk youth. 🏳️‍🌈💜

We’ve got admin covered ✅ but we still need PTs to triage and treat performers throughout the weekend!

🗓 October 19–20 📍 Webster Hall, NYC 🕒 20-min treatment sessions 🛠 Bring your own gear + liability insurance 🧾 Waivers provided by FlySpace PT

This is an amazing chance to give back, connect with colleagues, and support our performing arts community while raising funds for a powerful cause.

👉 Interested? Fill out the volunteer form here: [LINK IN BIO] 
And please help us spread the word to other PTs who may want to get involved!

Have additional questions? DM me!

09/18/2025

I first went to IADMS in 2013, just after deciding to transition from performing into the performing arts health & wellness space. I’m beyond grateful for the community I’ve grown to be a part of and cannot wait to be inspired by all of them next week!

Next week I’m heading to Vegas for the annual IADMS conference! I’m honored to be presenting twice this year alongside amazing colleagues:

👉 The Anatomy of the Contract — Panel with Rob Tsai .robtsai.physio & Melissa Buffer on creating sustainable contracts for performing arts companies, productions, schools, and institutions. (Thursday @ 3:45pm)

👉 Looking Back to Move Forward — Platform presentation on behalf of myself and Ami Kirollos on enhancing performing artist screenings & training programs by integrating chronic load assessment and dancer education. (Friday @ 2:30pm)

Can’t wait to learn, share, and connect with this inspiring community. See you there!

09/17/2025

Happy Opening to !!what a glorious evening!

09/14/2025

Hi, I’m Marissa Schaeffer.  It’s been a little while since I’ve introduced myself, so here goes.

I wear a few hats: I’m a physical therapist, a mom, the owner and director of FlySpace Physical Therapy, and the co-host of DanceWell Podcast.

I started my career as a dancer here in NYC, freelancing and choreographing while also working as a personal trainer. Early on, I noticed something important: the more I strength trained, the better my dancing became—even though I wasn’t training as much as I wanted. At the same time, I found real joy in helping others move and feel better.

But there was a flip side. I re-injured myself badly during that period, working long, hectic days. Thanks to the continuing education I had access to as a trainer, I learned how to advocate for myself, seek care, and understand my body in a new way. That experience sparked something. I realized that while personal training was powerful, I wanted to go deeper—so I went back to school for my doctorate in physical therapy.

Fast forward: I built my career working with performers in some incredible places, including Harkness Center for Dance Injuries, PhysioArts, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Along the way, I leaned into education—teaching workshops, writing, and podcasting—to support dancers in building health literacy and autonomy.

After the pandemic, I opened my own little clinic on West 72nd Street. What began modestly grew into FlySpace PT. Since then, my work has expanded beyond the treatment room into advocating for performer health and creating systems that support artists in schools, companies, and clinics.

In 2023, I went back to school again—this time for my MBA—to keep growing FlySpace and to make sure we’re building something sustainable for the long term.

Now, here we are. FlySpace just turned 4 years old. In that time, we’ve partnered with over 50 programs, and we’re only just getting started.

Thank you for being part of this journey. I’m excited for what’s ahead—for our clinic, for performer health, and for the community we’re building together.

09/12/2025

When you’re starting a new relationship with a company, production, or organization, it can feel natural to want to say yes to everything. But it’s important to know what your baseline is—the minimum amount of services that allow you to bring real value without stretching yourself too thin.

Your minimum viable product (MVP) might look like:

• A set number of hours per production
• Regular check-ins with artistic directors or company managers
• A commitment to wellness or injury prevention education

Defining your MVP helps you show up consistently and with impact. It’s not about being rigid—it’s about creating the conditions where you and the people you support can thrive.

When you start from that place, you set the tone for a partnership that’s both sustainable and meaningful.

09/11/2025

I was reminded this week that sometimes the answer isn’t more — more exercise, more opinions, more effort, more stimulus, more medication, more classes, more gigs.

Sometimes the answer is less.
A break.
A return to nature.
Space from the noise.
A chance for your nervous system to settle.

In the quiet, you realize: you’re okay. You’ve got this.

09/08/2025

The more FlySpace collaborates with performing arts institutions to bring health and wellness programming into their spaces, the more I realize that success depends on truly understanding the organization’s needs and culture.

It’s not just about addressing injuries—it’s also about recognizing the realities of budget, staffing, space, time, and countless other factors. Often, the best way forward is to start with a few focused services, build trust, and grow intentionally over time.

Implementing change—especially within larger institutions—takes patience, communication, and a genuine commitment to learning the community you’re serving. When trust and vision align, programs can expand thoughtfully and sustainably.

I’m so excited to be diving deeper into this topic (and more!) at IADMS this year with my colleagues Rob more FlySpace collaborates with performing arts institutions to bring health and wellness programming into their spaces, the more I realize that success depends on truly understanding the organization’s needs and culture.

It’s not just about addressing injuries—it’s also about recognizing the realities of budget, staffing, space, time, and countless other factors. Often, the best way forward is to start with a few focused services, build trust, and grow intentionally over time.

Implementing change—especially within larger institutions—takes patience, communication, and a genuine commitment to learning the community you’re serving. When trust and vision align, programs can expand thoughtfully and sustainably.

I’m so excited to be diving deeper into this topic (and more!) at IADMS this year with my colleagues Rob Tsai .robtsai.physio and Melissa Buffer .

After all, growth is a process… and Rome wasn’t built in a day.

07/26/2025

And that’s a wrap for PT at ! Thank you for having on board! Grateful to help keep this crew shipshape! 🏴‍☠️⚓️💪🏽

Address

252 W 81st Street, Level C
New York, NY
10024

Opening Hours

Tuesday	8am - 1pm
Wednesday	8am - 1pm
Thursday	8am - 1pm

Telephone

+16464750907

Website

http://www.flyspacept.com/

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Our Story

Dr. Schaeffer provides one-on-one orthopedic manual physical therapy treatments and cross-training sessions virtually and in her private office in Midtown Manhattan. As a former dancer Dr. Schaeffer dedicates a significant portion of her time to working with some of New York’s most elite performers, from ballet to Broadway, and it is this experience that informs her treatment philosophy: high quality movement is key to a pain free life. Whether you’re a performer yourself, a weekend warrior, a busy parent, or a regular hard-working New Yorker, this philosophy will drive your treatment plan.