Who Is Ballerina Farm? Meet ‘Trad Wife’ Hannah Neeleman After Controversial Interview

After an article in the U.K.'s The Times put Hannah Neeleman , otherwise known on social media as Ballerina Farm, in the spotlight, fans want to know more about the original "trad wife" and how she ended up in her lifestyle.

What Is a 'Trad Wife'?

The term refers to a '"traditional wife" who takes on the gender role of a woman being a stay-at-home mother, raising children, cooking, and tending to the house, with her husband being the primary breadwinner. On social media, trad wives have gained huge followings by sharing recipes, crafting, posting child-rearing tips and other glimpses into their lifestyle.

Who Is Hannah Neeleman?

Hannah has a TikTok page with 8.8 million followers, YouTube channel with 1.6 million subscribers and an Instagram account with 9.3 million followers under the name "Ballerina Farm." She was "once a professional ballerina ... It feels like another life ago," Hannah explained in a December 2023 YouTube video. She named her social media account after the 328-acre Utah farm where she and her husband, Daniel, live with their eight children.

The former dancer studied at New York's famed Julliard School and enjoyed life in the big city before becoming a trad wife and homesteader.

Hannah explained in the video that she and her husband "had this dream that we wanted to raise our children on a farm and to really bring awareness to what it takes to put food on the table, and also educating people "about what they can do to contribute to what you're eating."

As for how her social media channels came to be, Hannah decided to build the family's business through the platform. She explained that as a dancer, she was comfortable being on stage and "we started documenting as city kids getting into farm life" about six years ago.

“I don’t necessarily identify with [trad wife] because we are traditional in the sense that it’s a man and a woman, we have children, but I do feel like we’re paving a lot of paths that haven’t been paved before,” she told The Times .

Who Is Hannah Neeleman's Husband?

Hanna's husband, Daniel Neeleman , is the son of billionaire JetBlue Airlines founder David Neeleman . He was raised in Connecticut and is the heir to his father's fortune.

How Did Hannah and Daniel Neeleman Meet?

The couple connected on a JetBlue flight from Salt Lake City, Utah, to New York City in 2011, when Hannah was a 21-year-old dancer in the Big Apple. She and Daniel married three months later.

In The Times article, Hannah said she believed it was a coincidence that the pair ended up as seatmates after being introduced months beforehand at a college basketball game. She told Daniel in advance about her flight and during the interview, he looked at her and said, "I made a call," seeming to reveal he made sure they were seated together, and it wasn't simply fate.

Daniel told The Times that he was a “firm believer” that men “make stuff work” and women “beautify." Hannah gave up her career to become a full-time mom and homemaker and the pair moved west so that they could raise their children on a rural farm.

The fact that Hannah once had a thriving career in an urban metropolis and gave it up to be a "trad wife" and mom has been a hot topic among her followers, with some wondering if her husband has been a controlling force.

Did Hannah's Husband Daniel Neeleman Really Give Her an Egg Apron for Her Birthday?

Yes, much to her perceived disappointment. In a July 5, 2024, TikTok post , Hannah was seen opening a brown unwrapped cardboard box saying it was her birthday present from Daniel and that she hoped it was "tickets to Greece" for a vacation. While opening the box, she again reiterated,"Plane tickets?" in a hopeful voice.

"Ooh, a hat I can wear in Greece!" Hannah exclaimed when seeing fabric appear. After pulling the garment out, it turned out to be an egg apron, with tiny pockets for her to gather the family's fresh eggs from their chickens. She appeared let down, as Daniel was heard off camera telling his wife, "You're welcome," "Great, now you can gather eggs!" and how it was "the best" apron.

Ballerina Farm's followers were appalled by Daniel's gift. "This broke my heart. He said, 'you’re welcome' clearly she wants to go to Greece!!" one person wrote, while another added, "Daniel, your family owns a whole airline. Get Mom her tickets." One user said his seemingly condescending "you're welcome" left them in a "blind rage."