Dancing Plague of 1518
A bizarre 1518 event in Strasbourg where hundreds of people danced uncontrollably for days, some until death, with causes ranging from mass hysteria to ergot poisoning.
OVERVIEW
The Dancing Plague of 1518 was a case of dancing mania that occurred in Strasbourg, Alsace (then part of the Holy Roman Empire) in July 1518. It began when a woman named Frau Troffea began dancing fervently in the street. Within a week, 34 people had joined her. Within a month, approximately 400 people were dancing uncontrollably. Many danced until they collapsed from exhaustion, heart attack, or stroke. The city authorities responded by building a stage, hiring musicians, and encouraging the dancers in the belief that they would dance themselves to health. The phenomenon eventually subsided. Theories include mass psychogenic illness, ergot poisoning (from moldy rye bread), and religious ecstasy.
KNOWN FACTS
Historical records from Strasbourg document the event in detail
Multiple chroniclers recorded the plague, including physician Paracelsus
The city council records show the official response (musicians, stage)
Ergot poisoning (ergotism) was common in the region and can cause convulsions
Similar dancing plagues occurred in other European towns in the same period
CLAIMS
The dancing was involuntary and uncontrollable
Some dancers died from heart attacks, strokes, or exhaustion
The authorities' response (encouraging more dancing) was counterproductive
The plague was caused by ergot fungus in the bread supply
The event was a case of mass psychogenic illness (hysteria)
EVIDENCE FOR
Historical records from Strasbourg document the event in detail
Multiple chroniclers recorded the plague, including physician Paracelsus
The city council records show the official response (musicians, stage)
Ergot poisoning (ergotism) was common in the region and can cause convulsions
Similar dancing plagues occurred in other European towns in the same period
EVIDENCE AGAINST
Ergotism typically causes convulsive twitching, not coordinated dancing
Mass psychogenic illness is a diagnosis of exclusion, not a proven cause
The dancers' behavior was more organized than ergotism would produce
The phenomenon may have been religious or cultic in nature
No modern equivalent of dancing plague has been documented
OPEN QUESTIONS
No open questions recorded.
SOURCES
TIMELINE
Frau Troffea begins dancing in Strasbourg
Dancing spreads to hundreds within weeks
Authorities build stage and hire musicians
Plague subsides