Former Spice Girl Melanie “Mel B” Brown has spoken candidly about how dance and Zumba played a vital role in rebuilding her mental health following a traumatic decade-long marriage.
The 51-year-old entertainer made the revelation at SXSW London on Tuesday, June 2, where she led an intimate Zumba class before participating in a panel discussion centred on her personal wellness journey.
Speaking to the media at the event, Brown opened up about the lasting psychological impact of her marriage to producer Stephen Belafonte, which she described as deeply abusive.
“Because I had a 10-year very abusive marriage, when I got out of there, I had to piece my life back together,” she said, adding that trauma has a way of embedding itself in the body long after a person has left a difficult situation.
Since ending that relationship, Brown said she has found tremendous healing through movement, particularly praising the sense of freedom that Zumba offers compared to her formal dance training.
“I was trained as a dancer, but this is just so much more free, and you can just put your own personality on it, and it’s a good way of keeping fit and moving,” she said.
Brown’s appearance at SXSW London drew warm reactions, with attendees responding positively to both her candour on mental health and her energy on the Zumba floor.
