Imagine walking through a town and seeing dozens of people dancing in the streets—not for fun, but because they can’t stop. They dance until they collapse. Some even die. It sounds like a scene from a horror movie, but this really happened.

This is the strange and creepy true story of the Dancing Plague of 1518—one of history’s most bizarre medical mysteries.

It All Started With One Woman

In July 1518, in the city of Strasbourg (which is now in France), a woman named Frau Troffea stepped out into the street and began to dance. She danced without music, without smiling, and without stopping.

People thought she would stop after a few minutes. But she didn’t. She danced for hours… then days.

After a week, others joined in. First a few, then dozens, and soon over 400 people were dancing nonstop in the streets. They couldn’t control their bodies. Some screamed in pain. Others looked like they were in a trance.

This strange dance wasn’t joyful. It was exhausting, painful, and deadly.

People Danced Until They Dropped

Historical records say that many of the dancers began to collapse from exhaustion. Some suffered from heart attacks and strokes. People died—just from dancing too much.

This continued for weeks. Nothing could stop it.

Doctors at the time believed the dancers were sick, but they didn’t understand why. In fact, they gave a strange recommendation: “Let them dance it out.”

So the town built a stage and even hired musicians, hoping to make the dancing end sooner. But that just made things worse. More people joined. The plague spread.

What Was Really Happening?

Even today, nobody knows for sure what caused the Dancing Plague. But there are some theories.

1. Mass Hysteria

The most popular explanation is mass hysteria, also called mass psychogenic illness. This happens when a group of people starts showing the same strange behavior because of stress, fear, or trauma.

In 1518, the people of Strasbourg were going through hard times. There was famine, disease, and deep religious fear. Many believed they were being punished by God. It’s possible that the stress caused their minds to break down—and their bodies followed.

In other words, they danced because they were mentally overwhelmed.

2. Ergot Poisoning

Another theory is that the dancers ate bread made from rye infected with a mold called ergot. Ergot can cause hallucinations, muscle spasms, and seizures. It’s even related to LSD, a powerful drug.

But this theory has problems. Ergot poisoning usually makes people too sick to move, not dance non-stop for days.

3. Religious Belief

In the Middle Ages, many people believed in a saint named St. Vitus, who could protect people from disease—but only if they honored him by dancing. Some believe the people of Strasbourg thought they had been cursed by St. Vitus, and began dancing to please him.

Whether it was a real belief or fear, it may have added to the madness.

Not the Only Time It Happened

What makes this even stranger is that the Dancing Plague of 1518 wasn’t the only case in history. Similar “dancing outbreaks” were recorded in Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands in the 1300s and 1400s.

In one case, people danced on a bridge until it collapsed, killing many.

It seems that something deep in the human mind—whether fear, stress, or belief—can take control of the body in terrifying ways.

How Did It End?

Eventually, the city took action. They banned music and closed public spaces. They took the dancers to a shrine dedicated to St. Vitus, where they performed religious rituals and prayers. After that, the dancing slowly stopped.

But the memory of what happened stayed with people for centuries.

Final Thoughts

The Dancing Plague of 1518 remains one of the strangest and creepiest events in history. It shows how powerful the human mind can be—especially when people are under extreme stress or fear.

Was it a disease? A mental breakdown? A supernatural curse?

We may never know the full truth. But one thing is certain: for one summer in Strasbourg, hundreds of people danced as if they were possessed—and some of them never stopped.