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The Dancing Plague of 1518 saw hundreds of people dance themselves to death in Strasbourg over several months
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Dark HistoryMar 26, 2026

The Dancing Plague of 1518 saw hundreds of people dance themselves to death in Strasbourg over several months

An entire city danced until people died from exhaustion. It started with one woman dancing in July. Within weeks 400 people joined her continuously. Many collapsed from heart attacks and strokes. Authorities hired musicians thinking more music would cure it.

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