Episode Description
In the summer of 1518, a woman began dancing in the streets of Strasbourg.
She didn’t stop.
Within days, others joined her. Then dozens more.
Soon, entire groups were dancing uncontrollably — for hours, for days, in some cases until they collapsed from exhaustion.
Authorities were unable to explain it. Physicians at the time suggested it was a natural illness. Others believed it to be something far less understood.
In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the Dancing Plague of 1518 — the accounts, the historical context, and the theories that attempt to explain how and why so many people lost control.
Because sometimes, the body moves… without reason.
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Dancing plague of 1518 - Wikipedia
The Dancing Plague Reconsidered v2
Dancing plague of 1518 | Facts & Theories | Britannica
Chapter 7: The Great Dancing Plague of 1518 | Crossing the Styx: History's Most Unusual Deaths
The Dancing Plague of 1518 | Horror
The mystery of the dancing plague of 1518 | Sky HISTORY TV Channel
Dancing Diseases: A Public Health Perspective on Emerging Outbreaks and Response Strategies