100 of the Most Influential Women in Sport >> Athletes

Stephanie Kurlow, Australia

Ballerina

Not many teenagers even know what their life’s goal is, yet alone be close to achieving it. But Kurlow is not like most teenagers. She is determined to become the world’s first Muslim, hijabi-wearing ballerina. This mission to shatter misconceptions that hijabs can detract from femininity and empowerment is one that the 17-year-old – of Russian and Australian heritage – takes seriously, training for tens of hours every week. Her progression to date has not been easy. After converting to Islam in 2010, Kurlow stopped dancing after struggling to find an appropriate school that catered to Muslim girls. Her enduring ability and dedication gained validation last summer, however, when she won a scholarship to the esteemed Royal Danish Ballet Summer School in Denmark. Kurlow’s long-term goals include touring the world with a dance company as a professional ballerina. Her name, and her message, are set to endure.

– Kurlow took her first ballet class aged just two.

– The power of her message was shown when she was chosen as a guest speaker at the 2017 Resonation Women’s Empowerment Conference in Jakarta.

– Kurlow is an ambassador for Remove Hate From The Debate, a campaign that assists youth in identifying online hate speech and tackling it.

Did you know…

In February 2016, she became the first person to receive The Game Changer Scholarship from eponymous sports fashion brand Bjorn Borg.

“I hope to live in a world one day where the clothes we wear are not stereotyped or ridiculed but instead accepted and welcomed.” – Stephanie Kurlow

Instagram: @stephaniekurlow