The Dancing Plague of 1518: When a City Danced Itself to Death

The Dancing Plague of 1518
In the summer of 1518, something unthinkable happened in Strasbourg: hundreds of people — perhaps as many as 400 — began dancing uncontrollably, some reportedly dancing until they collapsed or even died. What triggered this bizarre outbreak? Was it mass hysteria, ergot-poisoned bread, collective panic, social stress — or something deeper? In this video, we dive into the chaos, explore the leading theories, and try to unravel one of history’s most disturbing unsolved mysteries.


Chapters:

00:00 The Night Strasbourg Started Dancing
00:39 What Was the Dancing Plague of 1518?
01:15 Strasbourg in Crisis: Famine, Fear, and Faith
01:34 Frau Troffea: The First Unstoppable Dancer
02:10 When Hundreds Joined the Dance
03:04 Medieval Medicine Tries to Explain It
03:20 Stages, Musicians, and a Deadly Mistake
03:59 Modern Theories: Hysteria, Ergot, and St. Vitus
05:19 The Pilgrimage to St. Vitus’ Shrine
05:40 The Dancing Finally Fades
06:01 Other Dancing Manias Across Europe
06:56 Why the Dancing Plague Still Haunts Us

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