Marissa Schaeffer

Dr. Marissa Schaeffer, PT, DPT, MBA, OCS, CSCS, is the Founder and Director of FlySpace Physical Therapy in New York City, a performing arts medicine practice dedicated to helping artists move, perform, and recover at the highest level.

A board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist, Marissa works extensively with Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, professional dance companies, and performing arts schools. Her work spans the clinic and backstage, where she collaborates with performers, physicians, company management, and creative teams to support performer health, optimize movement, and help productions meet the extraordinary physical demands of live performance.

Marissa is passionate about translating sports medicine principles to the performing arts and helping performers build long, healthy, and sustainable careers. She regularly lectures on performing arts medicine, injury prevention, and performance optimization, and her clinical work has been presented through organizations including the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS), the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA), and Weill Cornell Medicine.

Through her writing for StageLync, Marissa hopes to give readers a behind-the-scenes look at the intersection of healthcare and the performing arts while sharing practical, evidence-informed strategies that support performers, educators, healthcare providers, and production teams alike.