Australian and Russian ballet dancer Stephanie Kurlow is the world's first hijabi ballerina. She converted to Islam when she was nine years old and has since then proven to the world her unyielding determination to achieve her goals.
She began dancing at just two years old, but stopped after her family converted to Islam, unable to find a dance studio which suited her religious beliefs. Realizing her discouragement, her mother came to the rescue by opening a ballet academy, catering to diversity and and allowing her to practice freely.
However, it wasn’t until she discovered Zahra Lari, the first hijabi ice skater, that she realized she could become a professional ballerina as a Muslim woman.
Inspired, at 14 years old she launched a crowdfunding page to raise money for her professional ballet tuition, with the aim of being the first professional hijabi ballerina in the world. Her decision to wear a hijab while training caught the attention of the world, and especially Swedish sport fashion brand Björn Borg who awarded her the Game Changer Scholarship.
She also received an invitation to attend the Royal Danish Ballet’s summer intensive and is now celebrated by international brands such as designer Tarese Clemens, Gaynor Minden, and Converse.
Not only is she a talented dancer, she is also an inspiration to minorities and other women struggling to find a way to follow their dreams and be proud of their beliefs. As a strong advocate for multiculturalism, she is a “Remove Hate From The Debate” ambassador, a campaign designed to assist young people in addressing online hate speech.
As for the future, the 20-year-old ballerina explained last year: “I am currently working towards being in a professional ballet company. I hope to continue working with amazing people and companies and continue to bring diversity and inclusivity to ballet. One day I would like to open my own ballet company and school that is inclusive of all backgrounds, races and religions. To bring a safe space where diverse people can come together and create art.”