Hello and welcome back to Ngobrol Sejarah with me, Barans—where we dive into the weirdest, wildest, and most thought-provoking stories from the past. Stories that make you ask, “Wait… did that really happen?”In today’s episode, we’re diving into one of the strangest events in European history. And no, it’s not about war, kings, or scientific discoveries. It’s about… dancing.Yes—you heard that right. This is the true story of people who danced… and danced… until they collapsed. Some even danced until they died.This is the story of The Dancing Plague of 1518. Picture this: it’s July 1518 in the town of Strasbourg, which back then was part of the Holy Roman Empire—modern-day France. It’s a warm summer morning. The market is starting to bustle. And suddenly… a woman steps into the middle of the street. Her name is Frau Troffea.Without music, without speaking, and without any warning… she starts dancing.At first, people think she’s joking or just blowing off steam. But one day passes. Then two. Then three. And she’s still dancing. She doesn’t stop to eat, she doesn’t sleep. Her feet are bleeding, and her body is trembling—but she can’t stop.Within a week, dozens more people have joined her. Within a month? Over 400 people are dancing uncontrollably in the streets of Strasbourg.Historical records say people were dancing day and night. Many collapsed from exhaustion. Some had seizures. And yes—some even died from strokes or heart attacks. So what did the authorities do?Doctors at the time believed it was caused by “hot blood”—too much heat in the body that needed to be expelled through movement. Sounds wild, right?So what was their solution?They built a stage.They hired musicians.They actually encouraged the dancing—hoping people would dance it out of their system.But that only made it worse. The dancing spread even more. Eventually, the city council banned music and dancing altogether. The remaining dancers were taken to a mountain shrine of St. Vitus, a saint believed to be responsible for the curse. They were given red shoes and walked in pilgrimage, hoping for healing. Let’s fast forward to the present. What do historians and scientists think really happened?There are three major theories: 1. Mass Hysteria (Mass Psychogenic Illness)The people of Strasbourg were living under extreme stress—plague, famine, religious oppression, and poverty. In that context, the belief that a saint could curse them into dancing took hold. The fear became real. And in their minds and bodies, they were truly cursed. 2. Ergot PoisoningThis theory says people may have eaten bread made from rye infected with ergot, a hallucinogenic fungus similar to LSD. But the problem? Ergot causes spasms and delusions, not rhythmic dancing that goes on for weeks. 3. Religious & Cultural BeliefIn medieval Europe, illness was often seen as divine punishment. People believed they were being punished by St. Vitus. The belief alone may have triggered the physical symptoms. In other words: faith, fear, and stress created a perfect storm. So, why should we care about something that happened 500 years ago?Because it shows us just how powerful the human mind is—especially under collective trauma. Today, we may not have a dancing plague… but we’ve seen mass panic, misinformation, and collective stress spread like wildfire during pandemics, disasters, or even through social media.The line between psychology, belief, and physical reaction is thinner than we think. So, the Dancing Plague of 1518 isn’t just a weird footnote in history. It’s a reminder that history isn’t always logical—and humans aren’t always rational.Thanks for listening to Ngobrol Sejarah with me, Barans. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate this podcast five stars, and share it with your fellow history lovers.And remember…Sometimes, the most unbelievable stories are the ones that actually happened.See you in the next episode.And please—don’t dance alone on the street.

Episodes

The Strasbourg Dancing Plague