Why Did Hundreds of People Dance Until They Died? | The Dancing Plague of 1518

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]Why did hundreds of people dance until they died? In 1518 >> [music] >> in the streets of Strasbourg, one woman suddenly began dancing and wouldn't stop. Soon dozens joined her, then hundreds. Day after day they danced without rest, collapsing from exhaustion, heart attacks, and heat.

[00:00:16]Musicians were even brought in hoping it would somehow help, but it only made [music] things worse.

[00:00:22]Nobody understood what was happening.

[00:00:24]Was it mass hysteria?

[00:00:25]Poisoned [music] bread?

[00:00:27]Religious fear?

[00:00:28]Even today, historians still debate the truth.

[00:00:33]One thing is certain. For weeks, an [music] entire city watched people dance uncontrollably until some of them [music] literally danced themselves to death.