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Dancing Plague of 1518
People danced until they dropped dead. It started with one woman. Soon hundreds were dancing uncontrollably. They couldn't stop. Some died of exhaustion, strokes, heart attacks. What caused the Dancing Plague?
July 1518
Strasbourg, Alsace
400+ witnesses
The Dancing Plague of 1518 was a case of mass hysteria in which people danced for days without rest, with some dying from exhaustion.
The Event
According to documented history:
In July 1518:
- Frau Troffea began dancing in the street
- She continued for days
- Others joined her
- By August, 400 people were dancing
- Some died from the exertion
The Outbreak
The dancing:
- Started with one woman
- Spread to dozens, then hundreds
- Continued day and night
- People couldn’t stop
- Deaths occurred from heart attacks and strokes
Official Response
Authorities:
- Initially encouraged more dancing
- Built a stage
- Hired musicians
- Eventually moved dancers to a shrine
- The outbreak eventually ended
Similar Events
Other dancing plagues occurred:
- 1374 along the Rhine
- 1278 in Germany
- Multiple incidents over centuries
- All in the same general region
Explanations
Proposed causes:
- Mass psychogenic illness (mass hysteria)
- Ergot poisoning (from infected grain)
- Stress-induced collective behavior
- Religious ecstasy
- Social contagion
Modern Analysis
Historians suggest:
- The region was under severe stress
- Famine and disease were common
- Belief in Saint Vitus’s curse was strong
- Psychological and cultural factors combined