On July 14, 1518, Frau Troffea stepped out of her home in Strasbourg, now in modern-day France, and began dancing. She didn't stop until she collapsed from exhaustion, but returned to the dance the next day, and the day after that. Soon, around 400 townspeople joined her, moving uncontrollably for roughly two months, with as many as 100 dying. Historians call it the Dancing Plague of 1518, and five centuries later, the cause remains a mystery, with theories ranging from stress-induced mass hysteria to ergot poisoning.
Explore the haunting legacy of the Dancing Plague and step into the mysterious world where hundreds were driven to dance, and sometimes die, without explanation. Click on.