What Happened During the Dancing Plague of 1518?
The Dancing Plague of 1518 took place in Strasbourg, the Holy Roman Empire, also known as modern-day France, from July to September 1518. At the beginning, Frau Troffea stepped into a street in the city and began dancing, eventually being joined by 400 other people. For three months, the city danced for days and developed a bloody fever and heat exhaustion, causing up to 15 people to die per day.
Although the exact cause of the Dancing Plague of 1518 has not been confirmed, several theories have been proposed, including a case of mass psychogenic illness or ergot poisoning from a hallucinogenic mold on rye bread.
As the plague went on, city leaders and physicians believed the cure for “overheated blood” was more dancing and building wooden stages, but this led to further mass hysteria within the crowd.
Moreover, historians view the plague as a key example of mass psychogenic illness, which has also been seen during the 1962 June Bug Epidemic, the 1962 Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic, and the 1892 Writing Tremor Epidemic.
The study of this event highlights the limitations of medical knowledge during the 16th century, as Strasbourg medical professionals believed the only cure to stop the continuous dancing would be more dancing.
At the end of the plague in September 1518, Strasbourg banned all public dancing and music, as the doctors’ prescription to continue dancing failed.
Overall, the Dancing Plague of 1518 remains one of the most famous examples of “dancing mania” in European history.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1) When did the Dancing Plague of 1518 begin?
The Dancing Plague of 1518 began on July 14, 1518, in Strasbourg, the Holy Roman Empire. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-w6d8gxROg&t=31
2) How did authorities try to treat it?
City officials consulted local physicians who diagnosed “hot blood” and recommended that the afflicted simply keep dancing, which worsened the hysteria.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0TOZf-LrBo&t=14
3) What is ergot poisoning? It is a serious illness caused by eating grains like rye and wheat that are infected by the fungus Claviceps purpurea.
Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/ergot-poisoning
Why it matters
This event highlights how extreme social stress and collective psychology can trigger mass behaviors that defy a simple explanation.
Sources
- "What Was the Dancing Plague of 1518?" Evan Andrews, HISTORY.com, August 31, 2015, Last Updated: May 27, 2025
- "Dancing Plague of 1518" Patricia Bauer, Britannica Editors, Britannica
- "France's Stangest Epidemic Wasn't the Bubonic Plague. It Was a Dance" National Geographic, Olivia Campbell, October 31, 2025