When 400 People Danced Until They Died
Did you know that in 1518, hundreds of people danced until they collapsed — and some even died?
It all began in Strasbourg when a woman stepped into the street and started dancing for no reason. She kept going for days.
Within a week, dozens joined her. Soon, nearly 400 people were dancing uncontrollably.
Authorities thought the cure was to let them "dance it out" — so they built stages and hired musicians.
That made it worse.
After more than two months of dancing, some died from exhaustion, heart attacks, or strokes.
Historians still debate: mass hysteria… religious terror… or something else?
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