Kelsey MacDonald (she/her) is so thrilled to be a part of the FlySpace team. 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, picnicing in the park, or perfecting her overnight oats recipe. Having worked with both Marissa and Jessi 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!
Katrina Van Ostrand, PT, MPT, SCS, OCS (she/her) holds double board certification in sports and orthopedic physical therapy and has over 13 years of experience helping patients recover from injury, improve their daily function, and optimize their performance.
Katrina graduated with her masters of physical therapy degree from the University of Findlay in 2010. After graduation, Katrina began her career as a performing arts physical therapist traveling with the national tours of West Side Story, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Wicked, Lion King, and Bring It On, as well as multiple on and off-Broadway shows in NYC, including: Stomp, Sleep No More, Queen of The Night, Rocky, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and Lion King.
Katrina has completed a full-time sports physical therapy residency at the University of
Delaware, with a focus on emergency first response, vestibular, orthopedics, and D1 athletics rehabilitation.
Once settled in NYC after touring and residency, Katrina worked at both West Side Dance Physical Therapy, and Cameron Gomez Physical Therapy & Acupuncture. Her patients have included the dancers of New York City Ballet, SAB, Broadway, and many other professional and pre-professional dancers and performers. She also has extensive experience working backstage at NYCB.
Katrina became interested in women’s health and pelvic floor physical therapy in 2021, and completed her continuing education course work through Herman and Wallace. Katrina is proud to be a provider of pelvic floor and women’s health physical therapy in addition to orthopedics and performing arts.
Katrina is a mom of two very energetic boys, ages 2 and 4, is a former dancer, and enjoys traveling, yoga, and fitness in her spare time.
Staff
As a NYC-based choreographer, dancer, and teacher for 20+ years, Jessi Patz, PT, DPT, CKTP (she/her) has taught, choreographed and performed for dance venues, film, theater, and comedy shows all over the world. Jessi utilizes her extensive background in dance and movement to assist performers (and all patients) in building long careers with a deeper understanding of their body/anatomy, pain science, and the importance of maintaining a strong foundation. A passionate Doctor of Physical Therapy, Jessi has also dedicated herself to a lifelong study of Pilates and Rehab. She has worked for Physioarts and Function First PT clinics, as well as provided PT treatment backstage to the Broadway performers and crews of Hamilton, Book Of Mormon, Chicago, Head Over Heels, The Prom, Be More Chill, Aladdin, Mean Girls and has worked with dancers from Mark Morris, Alvin Ailey, American Ballet Theater, Boston Ballet, Nathan Trice, Radio City's The Rockettes, and many more. Jessi hosts workshops and is a frequent guest lecturer to dance students in grade schools and universities, and to Physical Therapy Doctoral Candidates.
"I have not met anyone I trust more with my physical and my emotional well-being than Jessi Patz!"​
– S.W.
"I truly cannot say enough good about Jessi."
- J.D.
Marissa T. Schaeffer, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS (she/her) is a graduate of the SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Dance and earned her doctorate in physical therapy from Columbia University. She has worked with the students and company members of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Steps on Broadway, Limón Dance Company, HopeBoykinDance, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, as well as several Broadway shows, including Freestyle Love Supreme. Her expertise covers contemporary dance, ballet, musical theater, jazz, tap, and more. Marissa specializes in identifying issues at the root of a performer’s pain, rehabilitating the injury, and adjusting movement patterns to achieve longevity. Like so many dancers, she has experience with long-term injury, which for her
culminated in an extensive back surgery and year-long recovery. Marissa strives to help performing artists and athletes—both professional and not— feel confident, comfortable, strong, safe, and respected as they transition quickly from FlySpace back to normal activities. Marissa is also the owner of FlySpace PT. For more information on Marissa, click here.
"Having worked with Marissa as trainer and physical therapist, results is the best word to describe my experience. She is effective, thoughtful and dedicated! Can't recommend her more highly!"​
– J.L.
"Marissa's expertise and winning personality are good for the body and soul."​
– Lynn F.
As a performing arts physical therapist and former dancer, Ami Kirollos, PT, DPT, CSCS is passionate about keeping performers healthy and moving at their utmost finest. She has had experience working onsite with artists from Atlanta Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Steps on Broadway, GALLIM, St. Ann’s Warehouse and others. In the clinic, she has worked with countless professional and pre-professional dancers, actors, and singers from Broadway to concert dance to ballet.
Ami firmly believes that “movement is medicine" and uses a combination of manual and movement-based approaches to treat her patients. Her objective is to empower her patients with a solid comprehension of ideal movement patterns and an arsenal of knowledge to enable lasting healing and a successful enduring career.
Ami is always learning. In addition to specializing in performing arts medicine, Ami is a certified pelvic floor rehabilitation specialist from Herman and Wallace & APTA (levels 1 & 2), a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and is Pilates Mat certified from Polestar. She has also taken advanced coursework in concussion management, pelvic floor for the athlete, manual therapy from the Institute of Physical Art, Essentials of Performing Arts Medicine Certification from the Performing Arts Medical Association and much more.
Ami is a graduate of Indiana University, where she studied Dance and Sociology. She went on to receive her Doctorate from Emory University School of Medicine.