THE DANCING PLAGUE

 

In the summer of 1518, a strange phenomenon swept through the streets of Strasbourg, France. It all began in July, when a woman, Frau Troffea stepped on to the street and started dancing in an erratic and uncontrollable manner, but the marvel was that she could not stop for days. Strangely up to 400 people joined her. Some danced and collapsed from exhaustion and some danced to death.

Historical documents, including physician notes, cathedral sermons, local and regional chronicles and even notes from the Strasbourg city council clearly recorded that there was indeed a dance pandemic and it started from one woman dancing ( Frau Troffea) . It lasted for so long that it attracted the highest authorities, until the council gave up all authority to the physicians who simply recommended that the afflicted " Dance themselves free of it".

There are claims that guild halls were refurbished to to accommodate the dancing and strong men were employed to watch the dancers. At the height of the plague, many locals believed that the dancing was a punishment from Saint Vitus and to be "Free of sin" many more voluntarily joined the dance. To curb this, the council went as far as to ban music.

The dancers were then taken to the Shrine of Saint Vitus, they were to wear red shoes that were sprinkled with holy water and painted with crosses on the tops and soles. They also had to hold small crosses in their hands. Incense and Latin incantations were part of this ritual. After a "successful ritual" and the dancing plague had ended. "Forgiven by Vitus" was the word that spread.