The dancing plague of 1518 was a phenomenon that occurred in Strasbourg, France, in the summer of 1518. A woman named Frau Troffea began dancing in the streets, seemingly unable to stop and was soon joined by dozens of others. Over the course of several weeks, the number of dancers grew to several hundred.
According to historical accounts, the dancers were unable to stop dancing even when they were exhausted, and many of them collapsed from exhaustion or suffered heart attacks. Some even danced themselves to death.
The cause of the dancing plague remains a mystery, but there have been several theories proposed over the years. Scientists believe the dancing may have been caused by psychoactive ergot fungi – the source of LSD.
Whatever the cause, the dancing plague of 1518 remains a fascinating and somewhat eerie historical mystery.
