Hannah Neeleman, known as Ballerina Farm, is a former ballerina who trained at Juilliard and grew up in a devout Mormon household. She has become a major social media influencer with millions of followers on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Along with her husband, Daniel Neeleman, she runs a 328-acre farm in Utah where they share their traditional lifestyle and homemaking skills with the world.
Ballerina Farm is a farm in Kamas, Utah, and the social media name of influencer Hannah Neeleman (born June 25, 1990) 34 years old is known for posting about homemaking, farming, and raising eight children. The farm sells beef, pork, baked goods, homewares, and imported products. In 2024, Madison Malone Kircher wrote in The New York Times that Ballerina Farm was “as much a brand as it is a person” and described it as “wholesome and bucolic.” Neeleman is associated with the tradwife aesthetic.
Key Takeaways
- Hannah Neeleman trained as a ballerina at Juilliard before becoming a social media star.
- She and her husband, Daniel, moved to a 328-acre farm in Utah, which they named Ballerina Farm.
- Hannah shares her traditional homemaking and farming lifestyle with millions of followers on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
- The Neelemans have faced controversies and criticisms, including a notable article in The Times.
- Despite their online fame, the Neelemans led a life focused on family, tradition, and farming.
Early Life and Ballet Training
Growing Up in a Mormon Household
Hannah Neeleman, known to many as Ballerina Farm, grew up in a Mormon household. Her upbringing was deeply rooted in the values and traditions of the LDS Church. This foundation played a significant role in shaping her character and life choices.
Education at Juilliard
Hannah’s passion for ballet led her to save money to enroll at Juilliard, one of the most competitive arts schools in the world. “I was a good ballerina,” she often recalls, highlighting her dedication and talent. However, her journey took an unexpected turn when she decided to leave Juilliard. She knew starting a family would change her life path, and she embraced this new chapter with open arms.
Leaving Juilliard was a pivotal moment for Hannah, marking the transition from her dreams of New York City to a new life filled with different aspirations.
Meeting Daniel Neeleman
Their Love Story
Hannah Neeleman and Daniel Neeleman first crossed paths at a basketball game. Daniel, intrigued by Hannah, asked her out, but she politely declined. However, when Hannah mentioned she was flying from Salt Lake City to New York to attend Juilliard, Daniel found a way to sit next to her on the flight by pulling some strings at his father’s airline, JetBlue. This move, while romantic to some, has been criticized by others as leveraging privilege.
Marriage and Family Life
Despite the unconventional start, Hannah and Daniel’s relationship blossomed. They eventually got married and started a family. Hannah Neeleman and Daniel now have several children together. Their family life is often showcased on social media, where they share glimpses of their daily routines and adventures on Ballerina Farm.
The Birth of Ballerina Farm
Initial Move to Utah
Hannah Neeleman aka Ballerina Farm and her husband Daniel decided to move to Utah to start a new chapter in their lives. They named their new land Ballerina Farm, inspired by Hannah’s background in ballet. They documented their journey into farm life online with glee. Fans watched them make mistakes, spend hours toiling over seemingly simple problems, and their children grow in both size and number.
“We didn’t know what we were doing – and we still don’t, so everything takes twice as long and we make four times the mistakes of other farmers,” Hannah told Utah Farm Bureau in 2021.
Starting the Farm
The couple began by selling beef and pork raised and bred on their land. They also offered merchandise, which included denim aprons, sourdough starter kits, wooden spoons, copper cups, water bottles, and hats with emblems. The small barn Hannah wanted to convert into a ballet studio eventually became a kid’s schoolroom. Their journey was filled with challenges, but their determination and hard work paid off, turning Ballerina Farm into a thriving venture.
Life on the Farm
Daily Routines
Life on Ballerina Farm is a blend of hard work and simple joys. Every day starts early with milking cows and feeding pigs. The children, dressed in neutral colors, run through the sun-drenched fields, helping with chores and learning about farm life. Hannah and Daniel often find themselves spending hours on tasks that seem simple but are quite challenging.
Homemade Cooking and Traditions
Cooking at Ballerina Farm is a family affair. They use fresh vegetables from their garden and meat from their livestock to prepare wholesome meals. The family enjoys traditional recipes passed down through generations, making every meal a special occasion. Despite the hard work, the family cherishes these moments together, creating lasting memories.
“There are a lot of sacrifices—emotional and physical—but that is the case for anyone who goes from a life they’re familiar with to a completely unfamiliar one,” Hannah shared.
The farm is not just a place to live but a way of life that the Neeleman family embraces wholeheartedly.
Social Media Stardom
Instagram Success
Hannah Neeleman, known as Ballerina Farm, has gained a massive following on Instagram. Her posts, which often feature her family and farm life, have captivated millions. Her ability to blend traditional homemaking with modern social media has made her a unique influencer. This success has led to numerous sponsorship deals and affiliate programs, making her a significant figure in the social media world.
TikTok Popularity
On TikTok, Hannah’s popularity continues to soar. Her videos, which showcase everything from daily routines to special family moments, resonate with a wide audience. The platform’s creator fund has also contributed to her income, proving that traditional wives like Hannah can indeed be social media masterminds.
YouTube Channel
Hannah’s YouTube channel offers a deeper look into her life on the farm. Here, she shares longer videos that provide more detailed insights into her daily activities and family traditions. The channel has become another avenue for her to connect with her audience and share her unique lifestyle.
Despite the curated perfection seen on her social media, a recent profile in The Times has sparked intense online discussion, revealing a more complex picture behind the aesthetic posts.
Controversies and Criticisms
The Times Article
The Times interview with Hannah Neeleman sparked a whirlwind of reactions online. Journalist Megan Agnew noted, “In the week since we published the interview, we have had an enormous and impassioned response—a whirl of arguments and opinions whipping up speed on social media.” This interview made Hannah a symbol for debates on motherhood, womanhood, and the freedom to choose either.
Public Reactions
The internet is filled with hot takes, with users dissecting every detail of the interview. Skeptics have pointed out that the Neelemans’ background and resources may not reflect the experiences of typical small-scale farmers. This has led to questions about the authenticity of their lifestyle. Some critics argue that Ballerina Farm promotes a traditional control of women through false imagery. Others continuously ask how many babysitters are behind the scenes, combing through Reddit threads for context clues.
The controversy around Ballerina Farm highlights the tension between idealized lifestyles and the reality many people face. It raises important questions about agency and autonomy within the ‘trad-wife’ movement and its broader implications.
Financial Background
The Jet Blue Fortune
Hannah Neeleman’s husband, Daniel, comes from a wealthy family. His father is the founder of JetBlue Airlines, which means they have access to significant financial resources. This immense wealth has allowed them to live comfortably and invest in their farm.
Farm Investments
The Neelemans have invested a lot of money into Ballerina Farm. They bought equipment and animals, and they also spent money on marketing to grow their brand. This has helped them turn their dream of a working farm into a reality.
The farm’s name was inspired by Hannah Neeleman’s lifelong dream of becoming a ballerina. Ballerina Farm is indeed a working one, and the Neelemans sell fresh products to their customers.
The Traditional Wife Trend
The term “tradwife” refers to women who embrace traditional roles, focusing on home and family. This lifestyle, which includes being subservient to their husbands and raising children, has gained attention on social media. Hannah Neeleman, known as Ballerina Farm, is often associated with this trend. However, she has stated that she doesn’t fully identify with the label, as she believes they are creating new paths within traditional frameworks.
What is a “Tradwife”?
The term “tradwife” has been floating around social media lately. It stands for “traditional wife,” which is a homemaker whose priority is to cook, clean, and serve her husband. But while the role of a 1950s housewife has been often viewed as degrading, that same label doesn’t apply to most tradwives. That’s because it’s the choice of these modern-day women to live this lifestyle.
Hannah is a mom influencer and trad wife who documents her stay-at-home existence to her 9 million followers on Instagram and 6.9 million followers on TikTok. In addition to being a mom to eight kids, she is a Juilliard-trained former ballerina and was crowned Mrs. America in 2023.
Today, Hannah’s net worth is a reported $2 million.
Future Plans for Ballerina Farm
Expanding the Farm
Hannah and Daniel Neeleman have made the tough choice to move Ballerina Farm to a new location. The new farm will be able to hold more pigs and help them grow their herd of cattle. This move is a big step for their family and the farm. They are excited about the new place, which has plenty of mountains and lots more snow.
New Projects
The Neelemans have many ideas for new projects on the farm. They plan to sell more beef and pork raised on their land. They also want to offer more merchandise, like denim aprons, sourdough starter kits, wooden spoons, copper cups, water bottles, and hats with emblems. Hannah even dreams of turning a small barn into a dance studio, but for now, it serves as a classroom for their children.
The future looks bright for Ballerina Farm as they continue to grow and take on new challenges.
Personal Life Beyond the Farm
Hannah Neeleman grew up in a Mormon family of nine children in Springville, Utah. Her family owned a flower shop. At the age of 14, she attended a Juilliard School summer ballet program. At 16, she received a scholarship to Brigham Young University’s theatre ballet program; she finished her university ballet studies at Juilliard School in New York City. Hannah met Daniel Neeleman, who is from Connecticut and studied at Brigham Young University, while she was in Utah over a Thanksgiving break in college.[Daniel is the son of David Neeleman, who founded five airlines including JetBlue, and led efforts to take TAP Air Portugal private. Daniel is also a Mormon and grew up in a family of ten children. The couple got engaged after just three weeks. Hannah said that she was the first Juilliard undergraduate “in modern history” to be pregnant.
The couple spent several years living in Brazil for Daniel’s corporate job as director of the home security company Vigzul, which was founded by his father. Upon returning to the United States, Daniel attended business school at the University of Utah while serving on the board of a different security company. They spent three years looking for farmland and initially purchased a different farm in 2017. They then purchased Ballerina Farm in 2018.
Hannah Neeleman told The New York Times that the family hires farm workers, a personal assistant, a teacher to homeschool five school-aged children, and an occasional babysitter. Hannah and Daniel have eight children, three sons followed by five daughters. They are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Neeleman is associated with the tradwife movement but does not use the term or identify with it strongly.
Hobbies and Interests
When she’s not busy with farm duties, Hannah enjoys a variety of hobbies. She loves to read books and often shares her favorite titles with her followers. Additionally, she has a passion for cooking and experimenting with new recipes in her kitchen. Hannah also enjoys spending time outdoors, whether it’s hiking in the nearby mountains or simply taking a walk around the farm.
Community Involvement
Hannah and her family are active members of their local community. They participate in community events and support local businesses. Hannah often volunteers her time to help with community projects and encourages her children to do the same. The family also attends church regularly and values the connections they have made through their faith.
When Hannah and Daniel Neeleman aren’t busy with their farm duties, they enjoy a rich personal life filled with family activities and community involvement. From home-schooling their children to participating in local events, their life is a blend of hard work and cherished moments.
Conclusion
Hannah Neeleman, known to many as Ballerina Farm, has captured the hearts of millions with her charming posts about farm life and family. From her days as a ballerina at Juilliard to becoming a social media sensation, Hannah’s journey is nothing short of fascinating. Despite the controversies and the scrutiny, she continues to share her life with authenticity and grace. Whether you admire her for her traditional values or her ability to balance a bustling household, there’s no denying the impact she’s made. Ballerina Farm is more than just a social media account; it’s a glimpse into a life that many find inspiring and relatable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Hannah Neeleman?
Hannah Neeleman is a former ballerina who trained at Juilliard. She now runs a social media account called Ballerina Farm, where she shares her life on a farm in Utah.
What is Hannah Neeleman’s Age?
What is Ballerina Farm?
Ballerina Farm is the name of the farm and social media account run by Hannah Neeleman. She shares content about farm life, homemade cooking, and family traditions.
How many followers does Ballerina Farm have?
Ballerina Farm has 9.3 million followers on Instagram, 8.5 million on TikTok, and 1.6 million on YouTube.
Who is Hannah’s husband?
Hannah’s husband is Daniel Neeleman. He is the son of David Neeleman, the founder of JetBlue Airways.
Why did they move to Utah?
Hannah and Daniel moved to Utah to start a farm and live a more traditional, rural lifestyle.
What is the Times article about?
The Times article discusses Hannah’s life on the farm and her traditional lifestyle. It has received mixed reactions from the public.
What controversies surround Ballerina Farm?
Some controversies include discussions about their wealthy background and the portrayal of Hannah’s traditional lifestyle in the media.
What are Hannah’s future plans for Ballerina Farm?
Hannah plans to expand the farm and start new projects to share more about rural living and homemaking.
