Jig of the Damned: The Dancing Plague of 1518 | 358

This week on Hysteria 51, we're time-traveling back to 1518, and trust us, it's not for the mead or the minstrels! We're diving feet first into one of history's most baffling mysteries – the Dancing Plague of 1518. Imagine this: one day, you're baking bread, and the next, you're busting moves in the streets of Strasbourg without a stop button! Join us as we shimmy through the theories – from mass hysteria to ergot-fueled rye parties, and even a supernatural dance-off. Was it a curse from St. Vitus? A case of medieval Footloose? Or perhaps, an elaborate 16th-century flash mob gone incredibly wrong?  We'll explore the eerie, the bizarre, and the (unintentionally) hilarious side of this historical head-scratcher. Did the authorities try to cure it with more dancing? Spoiler alert: Yes, they did, and let's just say, their problem-solving skills were... unique. Websites Dancing Plague Wiki - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_plague_of_1518 Dancing Mania Wiki - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_maniav Social Phenomenon Wiki - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_phenomenon The Public Domain Review - https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-dancing-plague-of-1518/ The Lancet - https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(09)60386-X/fulltext Science Direct - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160932708000379 History Skills - https://www.historyskills.com/classroom/year-8/dancing-plague/ Musical Credit "Anxiety" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories: [email protected] Support the Show Get exclusive content & perks as well as an ad and sponsor free experience at https://www.patreon.com/Hysteria51 from just $1 Shop Be the Best Dressed at your Cult Meeting! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/hysteria51?ref_id=9022 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices