The Dancing Plague of 1518: A Medieval Epidemic of Movement

 

The Dancing Plague of 1518: A Medieval Epidemic of Movement

Story: In July 1518, in the city of Strasbourg (then part of the Holy Roman Empire, now France), a bizarre and terrifying phenomenon began that would become known as the "Dancing Plague." It started with a woman named Frau Troffea, who simply began to dance uncontrollably in the street. For days, she danced without rest, seemingly unable to stop. Within a week, dozens of other people joined her, seemingly compelled by an unseen force to continuously move their bodies. By August, the number of "dancers" swelled to hundreds, many collapsing from exhaustion, heart attacks, or strokes.

The authorities, including city councilors and physicians, were baffled. They initially believed it was a "hot blood" illness and, in a remarkably misguided attempt to cure it, actually encouraged the dancing, thinking that if the afflicted danced until their blood cooled, they would recover. They even opened guild halls, built a stage, and hired musicians to keep the dancers moving. However, the situation only worsened. The epidemic of involuntary movement continued for weeks, reaching its peak with an estimated 400 people affected. Many died from sheer physical exertion, starvation, or dehydration. Eventually, the authorities, realizing their mistake, sought a different solution: they banned music and dancing, and instead, took the afflicted to shrines dedicated to Saint Vitus, hoping for a spiritual cure. The dancing plague gradually subsided by September. Modern historians and medical experts still debate the cause, with theories ranging from mass psychogenic illness (a form of hysteria) brought on by stress and famine, to food poisoning from ergot fungi (which can cause convulsions), but the exact reason for this strange and deadly medieval dance remains a chilling historical mystery.

• Date: July – September 1518
• Key Characters: Frau Troffea (first documented dancer), Strasbourg city authorities
• Historical Reference: John Waller, A Time to Dance, a Time to Die: The Extraordinary Story of the Dancing Plague of 1518 (2008); contemporary Strasbourg chronicles and medical reports.