With this little nod to David Bowie (1), I am here to tell you about a historical event closely linked to the march. A dance epidemic death that took place in Strasbourgin the century XVI (2), and that started with Miss Frau Troffea. Said dance epidemic, also called choreomaniamade a multitude of people join this dance of saint vitus (3), ending up in a deadly dance from exhaustion.
But this epidemic of deadly dancing was not an isolated phenomenon in Strasbourg. It had already happened before throughout medieval Europecausing events like the one that inspired the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin (4). Or another event, in which a group of about two hundred people danced on a bridgethus causing his collapse (5) and the death of the dancers, of course. Also, at the same time of the deadly dance epidemic in Strasbourg, there were also «pests» similar of Dance of San Vito in other places (6).
This time we are going to focus on the deadly dance epidemic that began with Frau Troffea. You are going to be speechless, promised!
Frau Troffea, the queen of the track, promoter of the Ball of Saint Vitus
It all happened one summer day 500 years ago (7) in the beautiful French city of Strasbourg. It was then that a woman named Frau Troffea appeared on the street and began a fervent dance that lasted almost a week (8). She was not the only one to dance, since, after the week, they had signed up for the party about thirty other people. But the thing did not stop there, since the party got bigger, reaching about four hundred dancers after a month. not even the best rave! To put us in a situation, I imagine those people from the 16th century dancing like Ian Curtis, from the group Joy Division. Take a look at this video!
It must have seemed that the entire town was enjoying some beautiful (and destructive) popular festivals, since throughout that month you could see the city full of dancers and people jumping and flailing their limbs uncontrollably. But nothing is further from reality, since that apparent party, in truth, was a real suffering. And it is that the “dancers” could not stop dancing, so many of them died (9) due to exhaustion or heart attacks. That is they danced to death. Just as Tino Casal (10) sang to us, in the middle of the Madrid Movida.
For example, Frau Troffea was taken, after three days of dancing, and previously immobilized, to a sanctuary, in order to try to heal her. With that stamina, Frau Troffea would be the queen of any festival, and without “magic” or “mystery water”!, apparently. Not even Pocholo with his magic backpack!
We will cure the dance epidemic with more dancing, bring on the bands!
The most curious thing about this epidemic was, without a doubt, the measures to remedy it. Perhaps we would put an end to it with some anesthetic, with rest or with some similar means. But it was not like that, rather, quite the opposite. First I call the physicians, that is, to the most cutting-edge doctors of the time. They dismissed the idea of carrying out their usual bloodletting. For once they got rid of the leeches! Although they diagnosed the disease as a natural ailment, produced by warm blood. According to these doctors, the warm blood had reached the brains of those affected, producing a state of madness and fieryness. So they believed that the best cure for these unstoppable dancers, it would be the dance. Yes, even more! So they decided hire more musicians and dancers, so that the atmosphere was animated and people continued dancing. As in the verbenas of the towns! Happiness!
How did they last so many days dancing? What invention is this? the deadly dance
Current theories state that it is impossible to subject the body to that effort, as Frau Troffea and her followers did, dancing for three to six days. This physical exercise is so extremely high that even marathon runners could not stand it. Also, these dancers didn’t even stop to hydrate or eat. Therefore, in just three days, practically all of them should have already died from dehydration. And yet, despite it seeming impossible, they did it! History sometimes leaves us stunned.
Were they drugged or was it a matter of faith?
There are many hypotheses regarding the causes of this epidemic. One of the most viable may be the one that speaks of a possible mushroom poisoning (11), from which the LSD. This fungus could have spread to various places through food such as bread. Although it is not known for sure what would be the effect that it would have produced, nor its duration.
Currently, it is linked dance of saint vitus with diseases known as Huntington’s chorea and of sydenham. These involve the involuntary performance of a series of movements, which can resemble a dance. The very name of the disease makes it clear. Korea, comes from the Greek khoreia (dance). But these choreas (12) are dismissed by many authorsbecause they do not explain that massive contagion that occurred.
Although perhaps this plague could have come in a more mysterious and enigmatic way, as many authors defend (13). They affirm that the population suffered a collective psychosis, fruit of stress. This was due to the fact that, years ago, there were a series of periods of famines. As a consequence, there was a great mortality among the population. The people of the area believed that these famines were the result of the wrath of saint vitus. Thus, many people took to the streets to do this kind of demon dance. They intended with it please the saint for again his wrath in Strasbourg. Quite a spectacle, the dance of these damned!
It is possible that people became suggestible, due to the superstitions, to anguish and religious devotion. And it is that one christian legend held that the wrath of Saint Vitus could send compulsive dancing pests, of the famous St. Vitus Ball, which turned out to be a deadly dance.
Frau Troffeau, in memory. Font
an unsolved mystery
With so many theories, we may never know how it came about. But what we do know is how he went: just like it came, One day to another. Suddenly, people stopped dancing (14). What is certain is that it is an incredible episode. An event that completely exceeds and breaks all scientific and rational barriers. No explanation that has been tried to give in this regard, manages to satisfy us at all. Thus, this dance epidemic is a mystery for which, possibly, we will never find the solution. Poor little Frau Troffea, so many centuries later and we still can’t understand her obsessive dance! She’s still a misunderstood bastard!