Ballerina Farm's Hannah Neeleman Looks Back at 2023 Mrs. American Pageant, Which She Won at 20 Weeks Pregnant!
"A night I will never forget," Neeleman shared on Instagram
Popular social media influencer and Ballerina Farm founder Hannah Neeleman is reflecting on her pageant days one year after winning the 2023 Mrs. American pageant, in which married state title holders from across the U.S. compete for the top honor.
The entrepreneur took home the title of "Mrs. American" when she was 20 weeks pregnant with her eighth child, daughter Flora Jo. She later competed in Mrs. World 12 days after giving birth to Flora.
Mrs. America 2024 will crown a new winner on August 28 in Las Vegas.
Hannah Neeleman is reflecting on her winning wardrobe and pageant career.
The Juilliard-trained dancer, entrepreneur and mother of eight (known online as Ballerina Farm) looked back on the glamorous looks she wore while competing in the 2023 Mrs. American pageant. Not only did Neeleman win the title but she did so while 20 weeks pregnant with her last child.
"A night I will never forget. ✨🥹🫶🏼," the influencer captioned an Instagram video montage shared on Monday, Aug. 19. "This year has flown by. Heading to Las Vegas next week to crown my successor! I was 20 weeks pregnant with miss Flora Jo during this pageant. ♥️"
Neeleman went on to compete in the Mrs. World pageant in January 2024 — just 12 days after giving birth to Flora Jo.
Related: The Ballerina Farm Controversy, Explained: Why Is Everyone Talking About Influencer Hannah Neeleman?
The Instagram clip starts out with Neeleman strutting down the runway in a sequin mini dress with a blue tasseled skirt. At one point, she's joined by her husband Daniel, who takes her arm and escorts her across the stage.
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The former professional ballerina also appeared in a royal blue one-piece swimsuit with a plunging neckline, which she paired with sky-high platform heels.
Her final look was a glittering champagne-colored ball gown with a halter neckline and white cape-like detail. The end of the video shows Neeleman in the formal ensemble as she's announced as the winner.
Neeleman and her family, who live on a working farm in Utah, have steadily grown their social media following and business since 2021. Headlines have dubbed the pageant queen as a "trad wife," including a recent viral profile the U.K.’s The Sunday Times Magazine, in which Neeleman said she didn't align with the moniker.
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“I don’t necessarily identify with it because we are traditional in the sense that it’s a man and a woman, we have children,” she told the outlet, “but I do feel like we’re paving a lot of paths that haven’t been paved before.”
Daniel, meanwhile, said, “We were already together, doing what we were doing. And then ‘trad wife’ came along."
“We can’t help it,“ he added. “This is what we are. If we’re trad dad, trad wife, so be it.”
Neelman later pushed back on the profile in an Instagram clip posted on Wednesday, July 31, clarifying how she views her life and family.
"It is beautiful, rewarding and I get to do it with my family," she wrote of working with husband Daniel. "We have many dreams still to accomplish and I can’t wait to see what the future holds."
On the couple’s 13-year marriage, Hannah said on Instagram: “Together we have built a business from scratch. We’ve brought eight children into this world and have prioritized our marriage all along the way. We are co-parents, co-CEOs, co-diaper changers, kitchen cleaners and decision makers.”
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