تمرین مکالمه

Dancing Mania

Alone, in the middle of a silent street Frau Troffea began to dance. Who began to dance? Frau Troffea began to dance. Where was she? She was in the middle of a silent street.

It was July of 1518 in Strasbourg, France when for no reason, Troffea started to dance. Why was Troffea dancing? She was dancing for no reason. Well, no reason that we know.

Not long after, bewildered neighbors came to watch. Were the neighbors bewildered? Yes, the neighbors were bewildered. Even stranger, Troffea’s silent dancing was joined by first one neighbor, and then another.

Did the neighbors join Troffea? Yes, the neighbors joined Troffea. Their dancing was bizarre, and their faces were expressionless.

By the end of the week, more than 30 people had joined Troffea’s strange dance. How many joined the strange dance by the end of the week? By the end of the week, more than 30 people had joined the strange dance.

They danced night and day. This was just the tip of the iceberg. Did the dancing stop with 30 people? No, the dancing didn’t stop with 30 people. This was just the tip of the iceberg.

Within a month, more than 400 citizens of Strasbourg were swept away by the dancing mania.

How many citizens were swept away by the dancing? More than 400 citizens were swept away by the dancing.

Still there was no music and no explanation for what was happening. Yet they silently danced on.

Were they dancing to music? No, they weren’t dancing to music. Why were they dancing? There was no explanation for why they were dancing.

Many of the dancers began to experience serious health problems from so much non-stop movement.

Were the dancers healthy? No, many of them began to experience serious health problems.

The dancing was so extreme that some people literally danced themselves to death. How did some of the people die? Some people literally danced themselves to death.

They died from heart attacks, strokes, and severe exhaustion. How did they die? They died from heart attacks, strokes, and severe exhaustion.

At this point, doctors were called.

Who was called? Doctors were called.

They ruled out supernatural causes, common during that time. Did they rule out supernatural causes? Yes, they ruled out supernatural causes.

Instead, they said the mania was natural and caused by ‘hot blood.’ Did they say it was caused by ‘hot blood’? Yes, they said it was caused by ‘hot blood’. Who said it was caused by ‘hot blood’? The doctors said it was caused by ‘hot blood’.

Did they say the mania was natural? Yes, they said the mania was natural. What did they say it was caused by? They said it was caused by ‘hot blood.’

When they failed to find a cure for the dancing, they decided to build a stage and invite musicians to play for the dancers.

What did they build? They built a stage. Who did they invite to play on the stage? They invited musicians to play on the stage.

They thought that the cure might be for the dancers to dance until they got it out of their systems.

Did they think that the cure might be for the dancers to dance until they got it out of their systems? Yes, they thought that the cure might be for the dancers to dance until they got it out of their systems.

No one knows why, but after a month of dancing, it stopped as mysteriously as it began.

Did it stop mysteriously? Yes, it stopped mysteriously. Did it begin mysteriously? Yes, it began mysteriously. Did it stop as mysteriously as it began? Yes, it stopped as mysteriously as it began.

While this sounds like a tall tale, it has been well documented by historians. Does this sound like a tall tale? Yes, this sounds like a tall tale.

And, it’s not the only case of its kind. “Dancing Mania” or St. Vitus’ Dance swept Europe from the 14th to 17th century. When did “Dancing Mania” sweep Europe? Dancing Mania swept Europe from the 14th to the 17th century.

The most well known cases happened in Germany in 1374 and France in 1518. Did the most well known cases happen in Germany and France? Yes, the most well known cases happened in Germany and France.

Some psychologists say that what happened in France was an example of mass hysteria.

Do you think this was mass hysteria? Mass hysteria, sometimes happens in communities experiencing extreme stress. What happen in communities experiencing extreme stress? Mass hysteria, sometimes happens in communities experiencing extreme stress.

The Strasberg dancing mania happened during a time of famine and malnutrition.

What happened during a time of famine and malnutrition? The Strasberg dancing mania happened during a time of famine and malnutrition.

Other people believe that the dancing mania was caused by religious ecstasy.

Do other people believe that the dancing mania was caused by religious ecstasy? Yes, other people believe that the dancing mania was caused by religious ecstasy.

Saint Vitus is also known as the patron saint of dancing and epilepsy.

What is Saint Vitus the patron saint of? Saint Vitus is the patron saint of dancing and epilepsy.

The 1500s were a superstitious time. The local Christian church records say that people believed that Saint Vitus could “send down plagues of dancing.” Were the 1500s a superstitious time? Yes, the 1500s were a superstitious time. What did people believe Saint Vitus could do? People believed that Saint Vitus could “send down plagues of dancing.”

We will never know if the people of Strasbourg were suffering from mental illness or swept away by something that science can’t explain. The hearts and minds of humans are a mystery, and sometimes we lack the ability to explain why we do the things we do.

Have you ever felt swept away by an experience you could not explain?