Britney Spears has revealed that dancing has played an important role in helping her to overcome her recent personal problems

The singer, who releases her new album 'Circus' next month, said her art helps her to release nervous energy.

“When I start dancing it all goes away and I just feel emotion,” Spears said.

"Looks like a roller coaster, you know. People think when you go through something in life you go through therapy, for me art is therapy because it is like you are expressing yourself in such a spiritual way."

Spears' tumultuous last 18-months has seen her shave her head in public and lose custody of her two children.

She added: "Sometimes you don't need to use words to go through what you need to go through.

"Sometimes it is an emotion that you need to feel and when you dance and you need to touch on and the only thing that can touch it is when you move in a certain way."

Spears comments form part of an extensive interview, Britney: For the Record, which will be broadcast at the end of November.

As previously reported, 'Circus', Spears' follow-up to 2007's 'Blackout', leaked online in full earlier this week.

(by Jason Gregory)