Tradwives, also known as traditional wives, are taking the internet by storm. Content creators such as Nara Smith, Kelly Havens Stickle, and Estee Williams have created a platform where they document domestic endeavors, from creating meals from scratch to raising their kids in a godly household. But what if one of these tradwives was seemingly forced into this position by her husband? Currently, one of the most viral tradwives is Ballerina Farm’s Hannah Neeleman.
Hannah Neeleman is a Mormon content creator with a personal account and a main account, Ballerina Farm. The Ballerina Farm account has already amassed over 9 million followers on TikTok and 10 million followers on Instagram. In her videos and posts, Neeleman is portrayed as a doting mother to her 8 kids and her husband, Daniel. Despite her immense success online, her life story is quite unique.
Hannah’s humble beginnings
Hannah was a ballerina throughout her entire life. After receiving a full scholarship to Julliard, she then decided to pack up her life in Utah and move to New York City. Right before she moved, she met Daniel. Shortly after beginning her time at Julliard, she and Daniel got married. She quickly became pregnant with their first child and dropped out of Julliard.
@ballerinafarm I’ve been on a sheep’s milk ice cream kick. The milk is so creamy that I don’t have to add additional cream and I love that. However, we did add in some homemade apple pie and homemade maraschino cherries on top! It was what summer dreams are made of. 🍒 🐑 🥚
♬ If I Had You – The Benny Goodman Sextet
Hannah and Daniel moved to Kamas, Utah in 2018 and continued to grow their family on a 328-acre ranch called “Ballerina Farm.” Hannah then decided to leap into the pageant world, where she would gain notoriety for competing in the Mrs. American circuit even though she gave birth two weeks before the competition. She then was crowned Mrs. American 2023 after winning the South Dakota title.
Ballerina Farm blew up during the pandemic for Hannah’s family-style and farm-life content. After she won Mrs. American 2023, it was reported that she was breastfeeding her youngest child backstage. Many people found her story inspiring, which caused her social media to gain even more traction.
The Times article and controversy
On June 20th, 2023, The Times released an article titled “Meet the queen of the ‘trad wives’ (and her eight children).” The article, written by Megan Anew, follows the author’s experience of spending a day with Hannah, Daniel, and their children on the ranch. Its publication garnered immense controversy.
@ballerinafarm I’m calling it “Dairy Date Night” 🐄🌾♥️ @Daniel ♬ original sound – Ballerina Farm
Several quotes and stories in the article have sparked speculation regarding Hannah and Daniel’s relationship. The first is Daniel’s habit of interrupting Hannah or answering for her. One notable instance is when Anew asks Hannah if she identifies as a traditional wife, but Daniel responds before Hannah can speak. A similar instance occurs when Anew asks Hannah if Daniel is the head of the household, to which he interrupts her to state that they are both co-CEOs. Another moment that caught people’s attention is when Hannah discusses her plans before her marriage to Daniel.
“No,’ she says. ‘I mean, I was, like —’ She pauses. ‘My goal was New York City. I left home at 17 and I was so excited to get there, I just loved that energy. And I was going to be a ballerina. I was a good ballerina.’ She pauses again. ‘But I knew that when I started to have kids my life would start to look different.”
– Hannah Neeleman
The couple’s origin story has also made people question their relationship. Daniel met Hannah right before she moved to New York. He asked her out several times, but she repeatedly declined his offers. When Daniel found out that she was moving to NYC, he used his connections at JetBlue (as the heir to the company) to determine what flight Hannah was on so that he could buy the seat next to her.
Internet discourse and public opinion on Ballerina Farm
The Times story went viral, inciting intense speculation about Hannah’s life. Some people are praising Hannah for deciding to become a mother. Hannah’s fans love to see her balance her platform and her family. Many resonated with the sentiment that motherhood can be fulfilling in multiple ways. Others saw the Times story as a wake-up call.
After the article was released, many TikTok users made viral videos about the situation, taking old clips of Hannah dancing and overlaying them with direct quotes from the Times article.
Content creators such as Tyler Bender and Lael Hansen have brought to light the disturbing elements found in the Times article. They perceive Hannah’s story as a tragedy — a woman who gave up her life’s passion to settle down and raise a family. But is this true?
Hannah’s statement
On July 31st, 2024, Hannah posted a response video on TikTok regarding the Times interview. Her usual happy-go-lucky energy is absent; instead, she presents a stoic demeanor. The video follows Hannah completing various tasks while she provides commentary via a voiceover.
Hannah’s words are blunt. She recounts the day the reporter came to the farm to gain more insight into her family, business, and brand. According to Hannah, the interview went well, just like interviews they have done in the past. She shares that her family was shocked by the blatant attacks that ensued.
“An attack on my family and my marriage, portraying me as oppressed, with my husband being the culprit.”
Hannah Neeleman
Hannah believes that the angle in the Times article was biased and predetermined. She then reiterates that her main priority is God and family, and everything else comes second. She maintains that the best day of her life was her wedding day, and she would not have it any other way. Her and Daniel have been through thick and thin together, building a business from scratch. They are excited to expand their family and brand and to see what the future has in store.
@thecompetentcinefile ballerina farm lady im so sorry he did that to you #fyp #ballerinafarm #femalerage #ballet ♬ female rage – bel6va
Hannah’s video was met with mixed responses. Certain individuals were happy to see Hannah stand by her husband and family and reclaim her autonomy. Yet, the comments of the video are also flooded with theories that Daniel wrote the apology and made her recite it.
Final takeaway on Ballerina Farm
So, was Hannah Neeleman forced into this toxic relationship? Well, it’s much more complicated than that. Hannah and Daniel are Mormons, and funnily enough, many famous tradwives on social media are, too.
Religion plays a huge factor in Hannah and Daniel’s dynamic. They both have traditional values that align with the Mormon church. It is clear that both Hannah and Daniel prioritize Mormon values, but that doesn’t mean that their relationship is healthy.
@wandernyze #duet with @hannal.ballerinafarm #foryou #hannalballerinafarm #eggapron #ballerina #ballerinafarm #hannahneleeman #ballerinafamily This is the viral video posted by Ms Hannal Ballerina farm. A Birthday present from her billionniare husband "Egg Apron"😮 A lot of people reacted kay why daw kana ra ang gi regalo sa iyang husband nga billionnaire man unta. like imagine she gave up her career for her family. Shes taking good care of her 8 kids walay katabang siya lang usa and taking good care also sa ilang farm. Maybe shes happy taking good care of her family but yeah she deserves more on her birthday than giving an egg apron only as a birthday present. #viralvideo #trending ♬ original sound – hannal.ballerinafarm
On June 25th, 2024, Hannah posted a video on Instagram that showed her opening a gift from Daniel. In the video, she is extremely excited, hoping for a vacation to Greece. When she opens the package, she is only gifted an egg apron — despite her husband being the heir to JetBlue.
Such actions speak much louder than words — louder than interviews and posts that depict a happy family. While I believe the interviewer was biased, she nonetheless uncovered critical cracks in the tradwife lifestyle. Hannah is not leaving Daniel anytime soon, but perhaps her newfound fame will make her look inward and rediscover her self-worth. Maybe then she will finally get the chance to dance again — and take that trip to Greece.
