The Dancing Plague Of 1518

The Dancing Plague of 1518 is a mystery that continues to baffle historians. In the summer of 1518, more than 400 people in the town of #Strasbourg began dancing uncontrollably for nearly three months, some to the point of exhaustion and death. To this day, more than 500 years later, no one is quite sure why or how this strange epidemic began.

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[StephenMcCallumAu]

It was the release of the party rock anthem.

[jerryeberts]

I like the theory that rye grain tainted with the mold ergot (a major precursor to making LSD) drove the town batty.

[ALucas]

It recurred in the late 1980s and on into the 1990s, this time caused by taking ecstacy and being in Ibiza.

[DAVA]

Sounds like more like uncontrollable muscle spasims than "dancing"

[natduinfo]

Michael Jackson in spirit form tickled the town's people. ❤😂❤

[dgpreston]

Sounds like a recent Star Trek: strange new worlds episode.

[woodysmith]

Ergot might induce many to dance for a short duration while they were tripping balls. It wouldn't explain small concentrations of people dancing for days/weeks.
Stress-induced mania seems more likely. Add a touch of hysterical mania to make it contagious, and leaven the entire thing with a background of poverty and Black Plague and war.

[thomasgorecki]

Amazingly, you have made an interesting subject boring.

[curacaokidd]

just germans being germans thats all ther is t it