A Time to Dance, A Time to Die by John Waller

I don’t remember where I first found out about the dancing epidemic of 1518, but I know that I’ve read the Wikipedia page for it several times over the years. And finally I decided I should follow the notes at the bottom of the page, and get a copy of A Time to Dance, A Time to Die (2008) by John Waller. He’s written another book about the phenomenon, or possibly the same book under a different title – I can certainly see why it would fascinate a researcher.

In short, in 1518 France a woman started manically dancing. She seemed to be in something of a trance, and without much knowledge of what was going on. Gradually other people in her community started dancing too. Eventually dozens – possibly hundreds and thousands; accounts differ – of people were dancing alongside her. They danced for days, and many died of exhaustion. Why did it happen?

Waller does a great job of putting it in the context of other similar events from the medieval period. In different places across Europe, contagious dancing would spring up – not that often, and sometimes only with a handful of people, but 1518 certainly wasn’t an isolated incident.

One of the reasons that 1518’s dance epidemic turned out to be so protracted and have so many casualties is that physicians and religious figures actually encouraged the dancing. They believed that the dance was a curse from St Vitus (connected now with the medical condition known as St Vitus’s dance – apparently without reference to the 1518 event). And they suggested that the only way to placate St Vitus was to voluntarily dance. A bit of a Catch 22, no?

Waller is working with fairly minimal historical documents, some of which contradict each other. There are frustrating gaps in what is available. So it’s understandable that the account he gives has those same gaps – and that he has to be a bit repetitive with what he can say. But it’s such an interesting and intriguing event that that doesn’t really matter. Better Waller’s approach than that he tried to make things up or assume too much.

The final chapter looks at other instances of mass hysteria, autosuggestion, and psychological ailments over time. This is the chapter I wish had been extended a bit – because he covers so much so quickly, and with many different cultures, histories, and manifestations amalgamated. And Waller is certainly not of the perspective that there are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in his philosophy. I suppose I was not as willing as he was to rule out the involvement of God in some of these experiences. (Which is certainly not to say that I think St Vitus was cursing people – but I also believe not everything in this world can be explained without reference to God.)

I don’t know if I learned an enormous amount about 1518 that I hadn’t already garnered on Wikipedia, but Waller’s book benefits from much better contextualisation and some narrative storytelling spark. If the idea has caught your attention – maybe start on Wikipedia and see where it takes you?

18 thoughts on “A Time to Dance, A Time to Die by John Waller

  • July 29, 2019 at 1:23 pm
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    I would like to read a novel about this phenomenon.

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    • July 30, 2019 at 8:01 pm
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      Wouldn’t we all ;)

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  • July 29, 2019 at 1:57 pm
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    It sounds interesting. I went through a phase where I read quite a few books on mass hysteria, crowds etc. I haven’t read anything on this topic though.

    Have you read Charles McKay’s ‘Madness of Crowds’? It’s 19thC but still fascinating to read.

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    • July 30, 2019 at 8:00 pm
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      I have read *about* it, but not actually read it! It did sound really interesting.

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  • July 29, 2019 at 1:58 pm
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    Isn’t this fascinating? And isn’t it fun to track down these odd little nooks and cranies of history? From my (very) old days as a history student, I was vaguely aware of this phenomenon but didn’t realize it was so widespread. I had the notion that it was caused by the presence of a fungus on wheat or rye, which caused twitching and hallucinations or something like that, all ascribed to poor old St. Vitus. Of course, I’m sure there was much more to it! Sounds like an absorbing read . . .

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    • July 30, 2019 at 8:00 pm
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      He does mention ergot poisoning – and rules it out in this case, because it spread psychologically – but that is part of the premise of Barbara Comyns’ excellent novel Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead.

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  • July 29, 2019 at 2:39 pm
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    I heard about it (well, I studied religious cults and mass hysteria type phenomena for my Ph.D.) and then saw more about it in at an exhibition in Strasbourg, where the 1518 episode originated. I think I read somewhere that there was a novel (in either French or German) about this or maybe one of the earlier instances of this, but I cannot find it.

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    • July 30, 2019 at 7:59 pm
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      I’d forgotten about your study of cults – yes, you must have an awful lot of insights into this sort of thing!

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  • July 29, 2019 at 6:58 pm
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    This is such an odd phenomenon, its completely baffling. I’ll definitely have a look at the Wiki page, its been a while since I read about this!

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    • July 30, 2019 at 7:58 pm
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      It’s so interesting! One of the most fascinating things I’ve ever stumbled over online.

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    • July 30, 2019 at 7:58 pm
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      It really is!

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  • July 29, 2019 at 10:51 pm
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    I’ve known about St Vitus Dance since I was in high school that’s nearly 50 years ago (yikes!). And I run across references to it in magazine articles,etc. I think there are references to this disease or syndrome in lots of fairy tales and folklore as well. You have to admit it’s memorable. Now I have to go buy this book

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    • July 30, 2019 at 7:58 pm
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      It certainly is memorable! And interesting that a different person chose the same name for the physical condition, by coincidence.

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    • July 30, 2019 at 7:57 pm
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      Right?!

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  • July 30, 2019 at 1:59 pm
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    Any relation to the Dance of Death, or totentanz? I think also its known as the Danse Macabre tradition in the arts. Fascinating!

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    • July 30, 2019 at 7:57 pm
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      Vaguely related, I think! All so odd and intriguing.

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