The Dancing Plague of 1518
25 March 2026
Deep Dive
In the sweltering heat of summer, during July of 1518, the city of Strasbourg was consumed by a plague…just not necessarily the kind you may be thinking of. After a lady named Frau Troffea began to spontaneously dance in the streets, this compulsion to move soon spread throughout the city, and before long hundreds of residents had been swept up by this ‘dancing mania’. Though it sounds idyllic in theory, the reality was very different, and the Strasbourg ‘dancing plague’ soon turned deadly. But what caused this mass display to take hold in the first place? In today’s episode, Chyaz explores the theories that have been presented over the centuries, and offers up a perspective of her own too…
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Source Shout Outs:
BBC Article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/article/20220512-the-people-who-danced-themselves-to-death
Smithsonian Magazine Article: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/strange-case-dancing-mania-struck-germany-six-centuries-ago-today-180959549/
Academic Paper on The Dancing Plague: https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/full/10.3366/drs.2017.0199#fn2
Public Domain Review Essay: https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-dancing-plague-of-1518/
The Guardian Article: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/jul/05/bizarre-dance-epidemic-of-summer-1518-strasbourg
Brittanica Article: https://www.britannica.com/event/dancing-plague-of-1518
British Psychological Society Article: https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/dancing-plagues-and-mass-hysteria
Nottingham University Article: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/documents/exhibitions/plantsandprayers/5.-humoral-theory-the-basis-of-medical-thought-for-millenia.pdf
Healthline Website: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/mass-hysteria#definition
History Extra Article: https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/the-medieval-dance-of-death/
NLS Article: https://www.nls.uk/collections/stories/scottish-history/how-martin-luther-sparked-the-reformation/
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Themes
- mass-psychological-phenomena
- historical-contagions
- superstition and belief
Questions Explored
What was the Dancing Plague of 1518? + −
The Dancing Plague of 1518 was an event in Strasbourg where people began dancing uncontrollably, leading to exhaustion and death. The story became notable due to its scale and the historical accounts that ensued. The episode Things Are About To Get Weird, Episode 84: The Dancing Plague of 1518, with Chyaz Samuel, traces the full story.
Where did the Dancing Plague occur? + −
The Dancing Plague took place in Strasbourg, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire in 1518 and is now within modern-day France. The city's geographic and cultural backdrop contributed to the incident's scale. Chyaz Samuel explores this in Things Are About To Get Weird, Episode 84: The Dancing Plague of 1518.
Why is the Dancing Plague considered strange? + −
The Dancing Plague is strange due to the spontaneous and contagious nature of the dancing, which led to severe exhaustion and death. This phenomenon challenges historical perspectives and modern understandings of psychology. Chyaz Samuel pulls the thread in Things Are About To Get Weird, Episode 84: The Dancing Plague of 1518.
What historical theories exist about the Dancing Plague? + −
Historical theories include spiritual explanations like curses or possession and medical ones like overheated blood or ergotism. These varied theories highlight medieval attempts to understand such phenomena. This is the territory Chyaz Samuel maps in Things Are About To Get Weird, Episode 84: The Dancing Plague of 1518.
How do modern interpretations explain the Dancing Plague? + −
Modern interpretations suggest the Dancing Plague may have been a case of Mass Psychological Illness triggered by societal stress. This reflects shifting attitudes toward psychological explanations for historical events. Chyaz Samuel follows the evidence in Things Are About To Get Weird, Episode 84: The Dancing Plague of 1518.
Why does the Dancing Plague still interest people? + −
The Dancing Plague interests people because it intertwines historical mystery with questions about human psychology and societal influence. The persistent curiosity draws from its blend of historical documentation and the allure of the inexplicable. Chyaz Samuel explores this in Things Are About To Get Weird, Episode 84: The Dancing Plague of 1518.