Owner/Physical Therapist
PT, DPT, MBA, OCS, CSCS

Marissa T. Schaeffer, PT, DPT, MBA, OCS, CSCS (she/her) is the owner and founder of FlySpace Physical Therapy. A graduate of the SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Dance, she earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy with honors from Columbia University and her MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology. Marissa is a board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, with extensive experience in performing arts physical therapy across leading NYC clinics and companies.

Marissa previously served as a Senior Physical Therapist at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, where she treated students and company members, designed and co-led cross-training and wellness initiatives, and toured with the main company. In 2021, she founded FlySpace to create a space where performers feel confident, comfortable, strong, safe, and respected as they transition from rehabilitation back to full performance and life demands.

She now leads FlySpace’s backstage and on-site contracts for performing arts organizations. Marissa has worked with and supported companies and organizations including Steps on Broadway, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Roundabout Theatre, Theatre for a New Audience, HopeBoykinDance, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, GALLIM, Gibney Dance, Pilobolus, Parsons Dance, Emerge125, and many more. She has also coordinated PT services for the national tour of Amal Walks. Her recent theatre credits include serving as lead therapist on Pirates! A Penzance Musical, Queen of Versailles, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Anna Christie, among others.

Marissa has presented at numerous performing arts medicine conferences, published in the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science and Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Practice, and contributed to Dance Magazine, Dance Informa, Dance Teacher Magazine, and Dance Studio Life.

Physical Therapist
PT, DPT

Dylan Modugno, PT, DPT (He/Him) brings a passion for the performing arts and a deep commitment to helping artists stay strong, healthy, and resilient. With a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Stony Brook University and a background in dance instruction, Dylan combines clinical expertise with creative insight to support performers at every stage of their careers.

He specializes in performing arts and orthopedic physical therapy, with extensive onsite experience across Broadway and professional dance companies. Dylan has provided backstage care and performance support for productions including Sunset Boulevard, Operation Mincemeat, Patriots, Shit.Meet.Fan, Old Friends, The Great Gatsby, The Notebook, and Empire the Musical. He has also worked with dancers from the Manhattan Youth Ballet, School of American Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and collegiate programs at NYU, Pace University, and Marymount Manhattan College.

His backstage work includes acute injury triage, manual therapy, vocal massage, taping, and return-to-stage protocols—each tailored to the unique demands of live performance. Dylan ensures performers receive immediate, expert care that keeps them in peak condition throughout even the most rigorous schedules.

Outside the clinic, Dylan serves as adjunct faculty at Marymount Manhattan College, where he teaches Experiential Anatomy. His course empowers dancers with a deeper understanding of movement mechanics, injury prevention, and body awareness.

Dylan is dedicated to making rehabilitation both effective and educational, providing individualized care that helps performers return to the spotlight stronger than ever. At Flyspace, his mission is simple: to deliver informed, personalized support that helps artists soar — on stage ,in rehearsal, and beyond.

Clinical Manager/Physical Therapist
PT, DPT

Adrian Miranda, PT, DPT (he/him) is a physical therapist specializing in performing arts care, backstage physical therapy, and injury recovery for actors, dancers, and stage/screen performers. He earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Ithaca College and completed advanced orthopedic residency training at Sacred Heart University. Adrian has provided backstage physical therapy for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and major NYC productions, including BalletX (The Joyce Theater), Music City (Bedlam), Pirates of Penzance (Roundabout Theatre Company), Steps on Broadway, and productions with Theatre for a New Audience (Henry IV, The Merchant of Venice, and The Tragedy of Coriolanus).

As a performer and creator himself, Adrian understands the demands of auditions, rehearsal-heavy periods, busy show weeks, and live performance. His approach blends manual therapy, movement retraining, and performance-specific education to help artists recover, prevent re-injury, and return to the spotlight stronger, more resilient, and performance-ready.

Outside of the clinic, Adrian stays creatively active through acting, directing, writing, and producing short films for his channel Gross Anatomy, which highlights the Washington Heights community. He also performs with NYC swing dance troupe The Big Apple Lindy Hoppers, and enjoys weightlifting, martial arts, hip hop, songwriting, and playing guitar—always happy to chat about your latest role, training routine, or that persistent ache.

Physical & Pelvic Floor Therapist
PT, DPT, CKTP

With a career spanning over 20 years as a New York City–based choreographer, dancer, and teacher, Jessi Patz, PT, DPT, CKTP (she/her), has performed and worked across the globe in dance venues, film, theater, and comedy. She draws on her deep roots in dance to help performers—and patients of all kinds—build sustainable, long-lasting careers by cultivating a deeper understanding of anatomy, pain science, and the importance of a strong physical foundation.

A passionate Doctor of Physical Therapy, Jessi specializes in the treatment of both orthopedic and pelvic floor conditions. She is certified in Zena Rommett Floor Barre and has committed to the lifelong study of Pilates and rehabilitation, alongside comprehensive training in Functional Manual Therapy through the Institute of Physical Art. She has also completed coursework through Herman & Wallace to further her knowledge and clinical expertise in the evaluation and treatment of pelvic floor conditions.

In addition to working at FlySpace, Jessi currently serves as a senior Physical Therapist for both the students and company members of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She has provided backstage physical therapy for many Broadway productions including Hamilton, The Book of Mormon, Chicago, Aladdin, and Mean Girls, as well as for leading dance companies such as RudduR Dance, Parsons Dance, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and Gibney Dance, among many others. 

Jessi regularly leads workshops and is a frequent guest lecturer for dance students—from grade school through university—as well as for doctoral candidates in Physical Therapy. In her spare time, Jessi enjoys making art/silly music videos, running, listening to PT podcasts, teaching Lindy Hop, as well as gallivanting around with her hilarious husband and two adorably strange kiddos.

Physical Therapist
PT, DPT

Haley Loeffler, PT, DPT (She/Her) is dedicated to delivering exceptional, patient-centered care to performing artists and individuals striving to return to the activities they love. She earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Columbia University and holds dual Bachelor's degrees in Health and Human Sciences and Dance from Loyola Marymount University.

With a strong foundation in dance and a clinical approach rooted in both movement sciences and neurological rehabilitation, Haley blends evidence-based orthopedic care with the specialized needs of performers. She incorporates skilled manual therapy techniques to support tissue recovery, restore mobility, and optimize functional movement patterns. She also has clinical experience in the evaluation and treatment of concussion and vestibular dysfunction, helping patients safely and confidently return to daily activities, performance, and sport.

A cornerstone of Haley’s practice is patient education. She is passionate about making anatomy and the complexities of movement more digestible, engaging, and actionable—so patients not only recover but leave with a deeper understanding of their bodies and long-term tools for wellness.

Haley is a native of Orange County, CA, and has had a long career as a dancer herself, performing professionally in works by Debbie Allen, Bill T. Jones, Paula Abdul, and for companies including HBO and Shein. Her clinical experience includes working with artists from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Joffrey Ballet School, School of American Ballet, the Radio City Rockettes, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, and Broadway productions such as Hamilton, & Juliet, Smash, MJ The Musical, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Haley brings both lived experience and clinical excellence to her practice and is excited to continue supporting patients as they reclaim strength, resilience, and joy in movement.

Front Desk Manager

Kelsey (she/her) is so thrilled to be a part of the FlySpace team for the last 3 years. She's the connecting link between our physical therapists, patients, and medical professionals. 

Kelsey is a graduate of Boston Conservatory at Berklee with a BFA in Musical Theatre and an emphasis in Songwriting. When she isn't answering your emails or communicating with your doctors you can find her writing music, picnicking in the park, or dancing her heart out in class. 

Having worked with FlySpace PTs on a chronic back injury, Kelsey can confidently say that there is no better place to seek physical therapy, especially specific to the performance world, than here at FlySpace! Kelsey hopes to be a welcoming, smiling face when you enter the clinic, don't be a stranger and say hello!

Front Desk Associate

Rachael (she/her) is so excited to be part of the FlySpace team as the Administrative Associate! She’s the friendly face connecting our physical therapists, patients, and medical professionals, helping keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

A graduate of Western Michigan University with a BFA in Musical Theater, Rachael is also currently a working actor in New York City. She understands firsthand the physical demands of the performance world and deeply values the kind of intentional, specialized care FlySpace provides to artists and movers of all kinds.

When she’s not answering your emails or coordinating schedules, you can find her auditioning, rehearsing and seeing as much live theater as possible. She’s so proud to be part of a team that supports performers in doing what they love — and she hopes to be a warm, welcoming presence when you walk through the door. Don’t be shy — say hello!

Mental Health Counsellor, MA 
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Andrew has been a fitness professional and certified strength and conditioning specialist for twelve years. As a coach, he specializes in strength training, Olympic weightlifting, and the roots of behavior change. He holds a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling and has a particular interest in the role that systems such as culture, society, and mental wellness play in physical performance. He works with the general population, with performing artists from professional dancers to Broadway performers, as well as collegiate athletes. He believes that physical strength forms the foundation for all performance.

Motor Learning, MA Columbia Uni.
Industrial and Organizational Pyschology BS
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Antoine has a been a fitness professional for thirteen years. He holds a master’s degree from Columbia University in Motor Learning and Control in addition to holding certifications in strength and conditioning, nutrition, corrective exercise, wave vibration training, and kettlebells. He has worked with collegiate, professional, and Olympic athletes as well as Navy SEALS, television personalities, professional dancers, Broadway performers, and laypeople. His philosophy centers on the notion that peak performance is relative. It is not one size fits all. Instead, each person requires an approach that will meet their unique demands. Therefore, any peak performance regimen should reflect and cater to those individual demands.