Dominique Stepinski Came to U.S. from Poland in 1991 • Mother of 3 daughters • Moved to Hinsdale 8 years ago • Married to husband Andy since 2003 • Member of the Easter Seals DuPage gala committee
While balancing motherhood with a strenuous job as a scientist, Dominique Stepinski was looking for an activity that would provide her with an escape from the pressures and responsibilities of work and family. When a friend suggested a Zumba class, Stepinski never dreamed it would have such a profound impact on her life.
Stepinski, who had no background in dance or music before taking that first class, said it wasn't long before she knew she had found what she was looking for.
"For an hour I was completely immersed in the music and the movement," she said.
The class remained part of her life for the years she spent in Bensenville. When she was unable to find a similar class in her new hometown of Hinsdale, Stepinski took it upon herself to create her own.
Now a certified Zumba instructor, Stepinski has led the Burning Beats dance fitness class at The Community House for more than a year. The hour-long class is held four times a week and attracts men and women of all fitness levels, Stepinski said. In addition to the four weekly classes in Hinsdale, Stepinski teaches a class each week in Addison.
"It's a lot more than coming to class," she said.
While including the Latin American beats that are typically associated with Zumba, Stepinski said she carefully selects an eclectic collection of music for her students.
"They're wonderful songs from all over the world," she said. "I often have people asking me for the playlist."
Stepinski also creates much of her own choreography. As with the music she selects, she borrows from the Latin American moves often found in Zumba, but expands her choreography to include things she learns from watching videos or from her instructor. Even as an instructor herself, Stepinski takes lessons to further her teaching and dancing skills - skills that she recently showcased as part of the cast of the Hinsdale Revue.
Stepinski said Susan O'Byrne, one of the revue's producers, takes her Burning Beats class and encouraged Stepinski to join the cast.
"I was very excited to be part of that," said Stepinski, who already is looking forward to being part of the show when it returns in 2026.
A graduate of DePaul University who earned a PhD in chemistry from Loyola University, Stepinski said she always stayed close to home in order to be near her mother, with whom she immigrated from Poland at age 16.
As a graduate student, Stepinski worked with Argonne National Laboratory researchers in the search for solutions to nuclear waste remediation. As a 20-year employee of the Argonne National Laboratory Division of Nuclear Engineering, Stepinski searched for ways to create medical isotopes without dependence on uranium.
Now retired, she enjoys traveling, hiking and cross-country skiing. But much of her time is spent dancing.
"My main passion is dancing," she said.
Stepinski said she works hard to be a better dancer and a better teacher. But she doesn't want her students to worry about how they look as they move or whether they're executig the right steps.
"Just enjoy the joy that comes from it," she said. "It's a place to leave everything else behind."
- story by Sandy Illian Bosch, photo by Jim Slonoff
