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.
FACT
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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
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In 1518, hundreds of people in Strasbourg danced themselves to death in a plague that lasted for months, with some dancing for days without stopping.
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