Who is Hannah Neeleman? ‘Ballerina Farm’ influencer at center of ‘trad wife’ debate

Because the viral discourse surrounding “trad wives” – a label implemented to girls who undertake conventional roles of motherhood and homemaking – continues to arouse on-line, one girl has been thrust into the highlight later a viral article gave enthusiasts a glimpse into the not-so-idyllic underbelly of trad spouse content material.

Hannah Neeleman, additionally identified by way of her social media username Ballerina Farm, is a 34-year-old mom of 8 residing in Utah. She’s won 17m fans throughout her Instagram and TikTok accounts, the place she posts content material of her day by day era together with her husband, Daniel Neeleman, and their youngsters on their 328-acre farm.

All the way through a lot of her content material, Neeleman is obvious dressed in gingham-patterned aprons and smocks as she makes recipes from scratch, has a tendency to their farm animals, and sells uncooked milk and sourdough starter on their Ballerina Farm site. She even made headlines earlier this year when she competed within the Mrs. International festival simply 12 days later giving delivery.

Pace Neeleman has been quietly discussed in discussions about “trad wife” influencers within the day, particularly alongside fellow content creator Nara Smith, that every one took a flip when The Times revealed an in-depth profile on Neeleman, titled “Meet the queen of the ‘trad wives’ (and her 8 youngsters).”

Now, the viral article – written by way of Megan Agnew – has family on the net claiming that “trad wife” content material could also be no longer as highest as what’s portrayed on social media.

Who’s Hannah Neeleman?

The content material creator’s social media character, Ballerina Farm, comes from her earlier occupation as a ballerina on the Juilliard College in Brandnew York Town. Neeleman, who was once raised a religious Mormon in Utah, practices the similar religion together with her husband and their 8 youngsters. When requested concerning the “trad wife” label in her interview, Neeleman maintained that she doesn’t establish with the web pattern.

“I don’t essentially establish with it as a result of we’re conventional within the sense that it’s a person and a lady, we’ve got youngsters, however I do really feel like we’re paving a quantity of paths that haven’t been paved prior to,” she stated. “So for me to have the label of a standard girl, I’m kinda like, ‘I don’t know if I establish with that.’”

Neeleman defined to the opening that she left house at day 17 for Brandnew York Town, the place she studied dance on the prestigious appearing arts faculty. “I used to be a excellent ballerina,” she stated. “However I knew that once I began to have youngsters my era would begin to glance other.”

Who’s her husband, Daniel Neeleman?

Daniel, 35, additionally grew up in a Mormon community in Connecticut. He’s the son of David Neeleman, the billionaire founding father of a number of business airways, together with JetBlue. Daniel and his while spouse first met once they have been offered by way of a mutual pal at a faculty basketball recreation, when she was once 23 years ancient on the era. Pace Daniel recalled short of to pace Neeleman straight away, she reportedly wouldn’t conform to occurring a pace till six months later they hooked up.

Their first pace got here later Daniel discovered Neeleman could be taking a JetBlue aviation from Salt Pool Town to Brandnew York, and he pulled some yarns to deliver to be assigned the seat nearest to her at the aviation. “I made a decision,” he recalled to the opening.

The couple have been married simply 3 months later their first pace, and shortly started increasing their community. Neeleman even made “fashionable history” as the primary undergraduate to be pregnant date finding out at Juilliard.

Now, the pair are oldsters to sons Henry, 12; Charles, 10; and George, 9, in addition to daughters Frances, seven; Lois, 5; Martha, 3; Mabel, two; and Plants, one.

Why is there such a lot uproar over Ballerina Farm?

For the reason that Instances article was once revealed, many family on-line have shared their surprised reactions to sure facets of Neeleman’s conventional way of life – a lot of which she hadn’t disclosed to her hundreds of thousands of social media fans.

For one, the content material author perceptible that she has deny childcare to aid her with the day by day tasks of elevating 8 youngsters. She chefs each meal from scratch and “on occasion will get so sick from exhaustion that she can’t get off the bed for a moment.”

Neeleman had opted out of taking pain-relievers when giving delivery to the vast majority of her youngsters. This is, apart from for her daughter Martha, who was once born in a sanatorium rather in their familiar house delivery. Talking to the Instances, Neeleman admitted that she “were given an epidural” all through Martha’s delivery as a result of she was once two weeks late and already 10 kilos. She reportedly decreased her expression when her husband wasn’t within the room, describing giving delivery with an epidural as an “wonderful revel in.”

“It was once kinda stunning,” she added.

As for her interest for dance, Neeleman had to start with deliberate on changing the little barn on their farm right into a ballet studio. On the other hand, the area was once rather was a schoolroom for her youngsters.

Neeleman defined to the opening that she and her husband “sacrificed a lot” all through the primary few years in their marriage, even though Agnew was once skeptical as to what sacrifices Daniel had given as much as transform homesteaders. “Neatly, I gave up dance, which was once dried. You surrender a work of your self,” Neeleman answered, including: “And Daniel gave up his occupation ambitions.”

Following the e-newsletter of the item, many readers took to the feedback division of Ballerina Farm’s Instagram account to proportion their blended critiques concerning the piece.

Below Neeleman’s most up-to-date post, which was once shared 4 days in the past, one person wrote: “Hannah! Please pull era for your self, you DESERVE issues for your self. You need to feel free.”

“I’m so sorry you get so sick from exhaustion that you find yourself bedridden for a moment. You’ll have the aid you wish to have,” every other fan stated. “The thing was once past unhappy. I’m sorry you don’t have aid.”

A 3rd commenter wrote: “You deserve higher.”

On the other hand, others have been fast to guard Neeleman within the feedback division. “Hannah, I learn the item and simply sought after you to grasp that no longer all folks are falling for the partial and schedule that the journalist had! We aren’t judging you.”

“I’m so sorry to Hannah for these types of commenters who can’t see throughout the schedule of the scribbler of that article,” wrote anyone else. “I can’t consider letting anyone into my house to be handled that method. Praying to your community.”

Talking concerning the “trad wife” phenomenon at the Times’ “The Story” podcast, Agnew explained that Neeleman instructed her she sought after “to turn alternative ladies that it’s possible” to succeed in her “idyllic” homesteading way of life.

“However it isn’t conceivable,” Agnew maintained. “It isn’t conceivable to are living this era as a result of no longer everybody could be a social media superstar. This era is for social media and financially enabled by way of social media.”