About Elixir Dance
Elixir School of Dance is a family-run dance studio based in Frederick county, Maryland.
We launched in April 2022 in the basement of our home in north Frederick. After a brief stint renting out the hall in the Walkersville Volunteer Rescue station, we just opened up a new location at 25 E Frederick St in Walkersville, MD.
Come join us for a class!
Meet the team
Natalie Clasper-Thompson
Natalie, Founder & CEO of Elixir Dance, hails from the historic city of Bath, England, and began dancing at age three. Inspired by the magic of musicals and ballet, her passion for movement led to a diverse professional dance career at the age of 19 performing ballet & jazz dance across Europe and the U.S, performing in theaters, casinos, and cruise ships.
After a knee injury, she transitioned to teaching, starting in Barcelona and later working in dance schools and studios in Chicago, Wisconsin, Washington, D.C. Her teaching style is deeply influenced by her technical training in England and being exposed to several influential teaching artists including Joel Hall & Company and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater in Chicago.
With over 14 years of teaching experience, Natalie brings a rich and versatile background in ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and Latin styles to students of all ages. She thrives in sharing her passion for dance and looks forward to connecting with you!
Ryan Thompson
Director of Marketing and Operations
Ryan brings his 20+ years of experience in communications, creative direction, and project management to support Elixir behind the scenes. During the day, he works in sustainable international development on a USAID program. In the evenings he spends time with Natalie and their three kids, trains in martial arts, and produces a podcast called Apotheosis. Ryan looks forward to supporting you and your kids in taking classes at Elixir!
Connect with Ryan on social media:
Monica Giaimo
Modern Dance Teacher
Originally from Cartagena, Colombia, Mónica brings a vibrant blend of cultural roots and contemporary artistry to her teaching. Her dance journey began at age four with ballet, Colombian folkloric dance, and gymnastics, and has since evolved into a dynamic career that spans jazz, modern, Afro-Caribbean, and Latin styles.
A graduate of the University of Maryland with degrees in Dance and French, Mónica has performed works by renowned choreographers and led efforts to spotlight Latin American dance through student organizations and community workshops.
As an instructor, Mónica is passionate about making dance accessible, expressive, and culturally rich. At Elixir Dance, she teaches with heart and purpose, inviting students to move freely, connect deeply, and explore their heritage and creativity through movement.
Andy King
Ballet instructor
Andy King is a student at Hood College majoring in special and elementary education. They have been dancing since a young child and has been committed to training classical ballet their whole life. They have trained at multiple studios but their most recent was Carroll County Dance Center. Ballet has always been Andy’s favorite, they love the discipline of the style and how ballet makes them feel. Dance and specifically ballet has been a way for them to express themselves in a way that doesn’t require words. Ballet will always be their first love and they are excited to share their journey at Elixir!