Hannah Neeleman, the influencer known as “Ballerina Farm” with 9 million Instagram followers, is the most prominent figure in the “trad wife” movement, but she doesn’t fully embrace the label.
“I don’t necessarily identify with it,” Neeleman, 34, told The Sunday Times in an interview published on Saturday, July 20. “We adhere to traditional values in that we’re a man and a woman with children, but I feel like we’re forging new paths that haven’t been explored before.”
Hannah and her husband, Daniel Neeleman, have eight children: Henry, 12, Charles, 10, George, 9, Frances, 7, Lois, 5, Martha, 3, Mabel, 2, and baby Flora, who is 6 months old.
Flora was born in January, and Hannah chose to forgo painkillers during her birth. Just 12 days later, she participated in a beauty pageant, where she was named Mrs. American in 2023 and competed for Mrs. World in Las Vegas earlier this year.
Although Hannah, a former ballerina who trained at Juilliard, is a stay-at-home mother—often referred to as a “traditional wife”—she also plays a significant role in their family farm’s business.
“I’m not sure I fully align with being labeled as a traditional woman,” she cautiously stated. “I’m somewhat hesitant about that label.”
When asked if Daniel, 36, is the head of their household, he responded, “No. We’re co-CEOs.” Hannah agreed, saying, “Yes, we are.”
Hannah gained prominence on social media amid the rise of the “trad wife” phenomenon, which involves women rejecting modern gender roles in favor of more traditional definitions of womanhood.
She actively engages with her Instagram followers by sharing her experiences as a mother of eight, her work on their farm in Utah, and her homemade meals. (She also has 7.4 million followers on TikTok and 1.5 million on YouTube.)
“I feel like we’re doing what God wants,” Hannah shared. “We’re on His errand a little bit,” Daniel added, with Hannah echoing his sentiment.
On the other hand, the Neelemans have commercialized their lifestyle by selling meat boxes from their cattle online, as well as branded sourdough starters, rock salt, beeswax candles, and more from their farm, warehouse, and office.
Hannah has embraced her lifestyle choices, including opting for an epidural for only one of her children’s births, with six of the births taking place in her bedroom. However, this wasn’t part of her original plan.
“My goal was New York City. I left home at 17 and was thrilled to be there; I loved the energy,” recalled Hannah, who grew up in Springville, Utah. “I intended to become a ballerina. I was good at it, but I knew my life would change when I started having children.”
Hannah married Daniel in her early 20s after meeting at a basketball game. Daniel, son of billionaire commercial airlines founder David Neeleman, wanted to marry immediately.
Hannah, however, agreed to a date six months after they met. They were married three months later and quickly began expanding their family. They continue to practice Mormonism and homeschool their children.
“I gave up dance, which was difficult. It felt like losing a part of myself,” Hannah said about the early days of their relationship, adding, “And Daniel gave up his career ambitions.”
The outlet noted that Daniel decided to move the family to Utah and avoid external childcare, repurposing Hannah’s pageant gowns for storage and transforming her barn dance studio idea into the kids’ schoolroom.
When Hannah had a moment alone, she admitted uncertainty about her stance on feminism.
“There are so many interpretations of that term. I’m not even sure what feminism means anymore,” she confessed, expressing that she feels judged by others. “We strive to be neutral and authentic, but people often label everything. This is just our normal life.”
Daniel, who has more than 500,000 followers on Instagram as “Hog Fathering,” seems to have successfully disregarded the labels and comments.
“Daniel is very good about not letting public opinions or labels affect him,” Hannah noted, looking at her husband. “You have to live your life and ignore those things, or they will consume you.”
Hannah admitted that judgments online do affect her. “It does impact me when I see criticism. It’s not pleasant,” she said.