Mary Pat Schmidt is from Pewaukee, Wisconsin. She was introduced to folk dancing in college at Marquette University, where she took a Phy Ed class in beginning Ethnic Dance and fell in love with it. She has been folk dancing with the Milwaukee International Dancers since the late 1980's, after seeing a notice promoting folk dancing at the International Institute which reignited her passion. In the Milwaukee group, she is on the Leadership Committee.

Mary Pat is also a former member of the Romanian performing group, Viata Romanesca, and the Bulgarian group, Na Lesa. She is now retired from a long career in Medical Technology (laboratory blood work), and besides dancing, spends time hiking and biking with other folk dancers.