Media Says She’s a Victim, but This Influencer Loves Her Traditional Life
By Movieguide® Staff
Social media influencer Hannah Neeleman — known as Ballerina Farm by her 9.4 million followers on Instagram — seems like she loves life on her Utah farm with her husband, Daniel, and their eight children.
The former Juilliard-trained ballerina’s posts feature her making sourdough from scratch, her children picking rhubarb from the garden to bake cakes and the family teaming up to milk their animals.
She also competes in beauty pageants, taking home the title of Mrs. American last year and competing in Mrs. World just 12 days after giving birth to her youngest earlier this year.
But the Neelemans’ seemingly wholesome life has landed them in controversy. A recent interview by The Times seems to suggest that Hannah is a “victim who sacrificed her dreams of becoming a ballerina for motherhood, that she takes on all of the workload, and that Daniel mistreats her and is a controlling figure who silences her.”
This angle on Ballerina Farm by Times journalist Megan Agnew has led readers to think that “Neeleman gave up a career she was passionate about for an isolated, oppressed life with a controlling husband.” Her social media comments are filled with people “criticizing Daniel and telling her, ‘Girl run.’”
US Weekly added that people are also angry that “there are so many contradictions [in their lives]. For instance, their kids aren’t allowed screens, but their lives are all over social media, and Hannah makes a point about being a simple, stay-at-home mom but is also earning a fortune from it, as well as mostly just showing the good parts.”
The media wants to portray Neeleman as a victim because she’s happy with her more traditional lifestyle, motherhood and taking care of her family — something feminists can’t believe is possible.
They argue that Daniel forced her to give up her dreams of being a ballerina in New York to live this life, but that isn’t true, as new audio recordings of her interview with Agnew reveal.
“We were open to anything, but I knew deep down that I wanted to raise my babies,” she said, adding that Daniel said, “If you wanna dance, go dance,” per Evie Magazine.
Agnew herself admitted that Neeleman “seemingly loves her life. I’m not saying that she’s kind of tricked or coerced into going at all.” Unfortunately, the way she structured her interview conveyed otherwise.
In reality, Neeleman and her husband — the heir to the JetBlue airline fortune — are partners in life, parenthood and vocation.
They’ve capitalized on the success of their lifestyle and brand to “sell meat boxes from the cattle they breed, along with multiple other branded farm products like sourdough starters, beeswax candles and rock salt.”
“We’re a partnership now, you know. I don’t feel like I’m at home raising kids by myself; that’s hard,” Neeleman explained. “And women need support. And when Daniel was like, ‘Okay, let’s build something together.’ We really carry the mantle together.”
She wants to inspire other women to see the beauty in motherhood, too, a particularly important aspect of her brand as younger generations waffle about whether or not they want to be moms.
“I feel like there’s so much joy in making a beautiful meal for your family,” she said. “It’s very satisfying, especially when you have had some part in growing or sourcing the food that you have a connection to. And hopefully I’m inspiring women to do that.”
Despite the controversy, the Neelemans are continuing to pursue their family’s dreams. She recently shared a video on Instagram, celebrating the opening of their new dairy. “It’s the world we created, and I couldn’t love it more,” Neeleman said.
Movieguide® previously reported on Neeleman:
Mrs. American pageant competitor Hannah Neeleman’s pro-life response to a question made her stand out among her peers.
“I have felt this feeling seven times now as I bring these sacred soul to the earth…after I hold the newborn baby in my arms. The feeling of motherhood…is the most empowering feeling I have ever felt,” Neeleman responded when asked when she has felt most empowered.
Neeleman won the pageant and was crowned Mrs. American 2023. She will go on to compete at Mrs. World.
The mom of seven graduated from Julliard as a ballerina before moving to Sao Paolo, Brazil, for her husband’s work. She and her husband eventually moved back to the U.S. to start Ballerina Farm, which sells direct-to-consumer goods like meat, sourdough starters, baked goods, and kitchen supplies.
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