Dancing Plague of 1518
One woman began dancing in the street. Within a month, 400 people joined her—dancing day and night until they collapsed from exhaustion. Some danced to death. No one could stop. No one knows why it happened.
In July 1518, a dancing plague struck Strasbourg. People danced uncontrollably for days, unable to stop. Some danced until they died. It’s one of history’s strangest documented mass phenomena.
The Outbreak
According to historical records:
In July 1518:
- A woman named Frau Troffea began dancing in the street
- She danced for days without stopping
- Within a week, 34 others had joined
- Within a month, approximately 400 were dancing
The Response
Authorities tried to help:
- They built a stage and hired musicians (thinking they should dance it out)
- They opened guild halls for dancers
- They banned public dancing and removed the musicians
- Nothing worked
The Deaths
Some dancers:
- Danced until they collapsed
- Suffered heart attacks and strokes
- Died from exhaustion
- Historical records indicate “several” deaths per day at the peak
What They Experienced
Accounts describe:
- Involuntary movement
- Expressions of terror, not joy
- Cries for help
- Inability to stop despite exhaustion
- Some danced for days continuously
Theories
Mass Hysteria: Stress-induced mass psychogenic illness:
- Strasbourg had recently suffered famines, smallpox, and syphilis
- Religious terror was high
- Collective stress can manifest physically
Ergot Poisoning: A fungus on grain can cause convulsions:
- Symptoms include involuntary movements
- But ergot causes blood vessel constriction, making sustained dancing difficult
- Probably not the sole cause
Cult of Saint Vitus: People believed the saint could curse dancers:
- Dancing was the curse
- Dancing could also be the cure (pilgrimage)
- This belief may have propagated the behavior
Historical Context
1518 Strasbourg:
- Part of the Holy Roman Empire
- Recently struck by famine
- Smallpox epidemic ongoing
- Deep religious anxiety
- Belief in supernatural curses
Other Dancing Plagues
This wasn’t unique:
- Similar outbreaks in 1374 along the Rhine
- Dancing plagues occurred throughout medieval Europe
- Usually during periods of stress
- Always ended eventually
The End
The plague subsided:
- After several weeks
- Dancers were taken to a shrine to Saint Vitus
- They prayed for release
- Gradually, the dancing stopped
Modern Understanding
The best explanation combines:
- Mass psychogenic illness
- Shared cultural beliefs about curses
- Extreme social stress
- Suggestibility during crises