Could you resist the urge if an unseen force compelled you to dance until you dropped? This episode of the Creepy Show Podcast twirls into the dark tale of the Dancing Plague of 1518, where a frenzy of inexplicable dancing gripped hundreds, leading to collapse and even death. We tread through the theories that have attempted to explain this strange phenomenon, from the medical musings of ergot poisoning to whispers of a curse by Saint Vitus. The eerie echoes of similar historical events are heard as we recount the extreme lengths the church went to in attempts to quell what they believed was diabolical possession, sparing no recourse from torture to forced baptisms.
As the Master of Creep, I beckon you to waltz with me into the realm of possibility that this sinister convulsion could dance its way into modern times. This voyage through time is not for the faint of heart—perfect for the connoisseur of the macabre who finds delight in the blend of historical intrigue and the chill of the unknown. So lock the doors and dim the lights, dear listener, as we spin the final yarn of this episode and leave you wondering what shadowy figures might be waiting to sweep you into a midnight dance. Share the chills, if you're brave enough, and keep a wary eye for those nocturnal rhythms that just might be more than a bump in the night.
Speaker 1:
Well, hello, my little creepies. Oh, yes, it's that time again. We talk about UFOs and Bigfoot, paranormal true crime and conspiracy stories and all things creepy. Yes, this is the Creepy Show. You can find us online at creepyshow and I'm your host, the Master of Creep.
Speaker 2:
Tonight's episode Dancing to Death. This story starts out in the Holy Roman Empire, which is modern-day France. During July of 1518, a person by the name of Fra Taffa had an uncontrollable desire to start dancing. She danced continuously, at every waking moment and after a few days, while other people joined in too. There was no music, just silent dancing, and by the time August rolled around, there were more than 400 people who followed suit, all dancing non-stop. Some people danced until they collapsed and died.
Speaker 2:
Doctors of that time regarded this as a hot blood plague and believed that the dancing was just a symptom. Not really knowing what to do, the town constructed a stage and brought in a band so that the people had music to dance to, and it would contain everybody who had this urge to dance. Many people died from sheer exhaustion, sheer exhaustion, strokes and heart attacks. Was this a virus or just a crowd hysteria? According to historian John Waller, this might have something to do with a Catholic saint known as Saint Vitus. At the time, europeans believed that he had the ability to curse people with the dancing plague. Other people claim that the dancers were members of a religious cult, or maybe they accidentally ingested ergot, a toxic mold that grows on damp rye and produces spasms and hallucinations. It was reported that about 15 people a day were dying of the dancing plague. Is there a modern day explanation for this dancing disease? Well, actually there is a disease of the nervous system called epidemic cholera. This is a disease of the nervous system which causes people to move uncontrollably, resembling dancing. Some consider this a form of epilepsy.
Speaker 2:
This urge to dance to death has happened before. In the year 1374, crowds of people began to stream into towns around the River Rye, where they started uncontrollably dancing before the altar of Virgin. Dancing before the altar of Virgin. The dance movements were incoherent and frenzied, marked by mantic twists, jumps and spins. It was an uncontrollable mania, one that gripped the minds and bodies of those afflicted. It was considered by the local priest as a work of the devil. As they danced and held each other's hands and leaped high into the air, they danced until complete exhaustion and they fell to the ground, and then they would later get back up and dance more, and many of them died from strokes and heart attacks.
Speaker 2:
The church tries to end the dance of death plague. In an attempt to end the dance plague, some church authorities denounced the dancers as non-believers of the church. Some of them were dragged to the church where they were tortured, their reasoning being that they were trying to drive the demons out of the dancers. In some cases, the church leaders attempted to slap the dancers back into their senses, and if that didn't work, why? They would completely submerge the dancers in barrels of water. After several months, the dancing finally stopped. The church claimed that their actions were effective in eliminating the problem. Those who died in the process were determined to be lost souls to dynamic forces.
Speaker 2:
The dancing plague didn't return for more than a hundred years. The earliest known dancing plague outbreak was recorded in the 7th century. Not much was known about this outbreak, except for the fact that it happened. It also happened again in the year 1020, when 18 people began to uncontrollably dance. Anytime there is a hint of physical or mental loss, doctors and scientists work to explain the condition, often giving it names and trying to categorize the illness. You don't hear much about the religious aspect. My question would be if the uncontrollable dancing wasn't just a plague, a virus or a disease, then what was it? You know, maybe the church was right, maybe it was the devil, or even a curse. That would explain the mystery of why someone would dance themselves to death, why some people refuse to dance.
Speaker 2:
After learning about the dancing plague, I can understand why some people and religions are against dancing. Did you know that in Japan, dancing in public is actually against the law? The only exception is for clubs that obtain a special license, and dancing is controlled. You can't dance past midnight. Well, this law was passed in 1948, but largely it's ignored and forgotten. In Elmore City, oklahoma, a law against dancing was still on the books since 1898. In 1980, this law was finally overturned by an effort from students at Elmore City High School who wanted to hold a prom dance. However, I want to point out to you that this has happened before. Just when you thought it was safe to go back out onto the dance floor, the dancing-to-death plague could return. You know this is a pretty creepy story, for the Dancing to Death Plague could return. You know this is a pretty creepy story and I thought it belonged right here on the Creepy Show Podcast.
Speaker 1:
We'll see you next time as the casket closes on another creepy episode. We bid you farewell to the shadows that danced upon your fears. Oh, and thank you for joining us on this creepy journey into the unknown, where the darkness whispers secrets and the silence echoes within your soul. Find us online for some extra creepy content at creepyshow and, if you happen to make it through the night, don't forget to share this podcast with someone you want to terrorize. Ha ha ha, good night, my little creepies. Sleep with one eye open, for the night is long and full of horror. Ha ha ha, ha, ha ha.