Abby and Alan discuss the horrifying and very real dancing plague of 1518. In the French Town of Strasbourg, in the summer of 1518, a bizarre and horrifying plague took as many as 400 lives. The plague started with a single woman, who could not stop dancing. Almost for an entire week she danced alone until others slowly joined her. Dancing until their bodies gave out.

Watch our film The Witching Hour here.

Sources

• A Time to Dance, A Time to Die: The Extraordinary Story of The Dancing Plague of 1518. A book by John Waller.
• A book from 1888 - The Black Death and The Dancing Mania by Justus Friedrich Karl Hecker.
• History.com article by Evan Andrews - What Was The Dancing Plague of 1518?
• The People Who Danced Themselves to Death by Rosalind Jana on BBC.com
• https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/dancing-plagues-and-mass-hysteria
• A Smithsonian Magazine Article - A Strange Case of Dancing Mania Struck Germany Six Centuries Ago Today by Marias Fessenden
• Research help from April Brenker.

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Get Lunatics Merch here. Join the discussion on Discord. Listen to the paranormal playlist I curate for Vurbl, updated weekly! Check out Abby's book Horror Stories. Available in eBook and paperback. Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

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Alan and Abby present five horrifying one page stories. Vote for your favorite story from today's episode here.

Air Bag was written by Mike Macera. Listen to Beach Therapy's new album.

Not Myself This Week was written by Sara Luke, folllow Sara on Instagram @saraluke25.

Blood Bath was written by Lori D'Angelo. Find her on Twitter and Bluesky @sclly21 or Instagram and Threads at lori.dangelo1.

The Hand You're Dealt was written by Alex Grehy. Check out her blog, http://idealreaderblog.wordpress.com/. Follow Alex on Twitter @indigodreamers and on Facebook: alex.grehy.7.

Gimlet de la cœur was written by Marisca Pichette www.mariscapichette.com. Follow her on Twitter/X: @MariscaPichette , Instagram: @marisca_write, Bluesky: @marisca.bsky.social.

lunaticsproject.com

Get Lunatics Merch here. Join the discussion on Discord. Listen to the paranormal playlist I curate for Vurbl, updated weekly! Check out Abby's book Horror Stories. Available in eBook and paperback. Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

Support the Show.

Abby sits down with author, historian and tour guide Marie Carter to discuss Walpurgis Night, May Day Horror and her new book, Mortimer and The Witches.

From Saint Walburga, to Beltane and The Wicker Man, we cover all of our bases with the storied history of May 1st.

Follow Marie on Instagram at @mariewritesandedits and check out her website: https://www.mariewritesandedits.com/

Also, consider purchasing her books. More information here.

lunaticsproject.com

Get Lunatics Merch here. Join the discussion on Discord. Listen to the paranormal playlist I curate for Vurbl, updated weekly! Check out Abby's book Horror Stories. Available in eBook and paperback. Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

Support the Show.