Can a rave party today be seen in the same context as a dance epidemic in Strasbourg in 1518?
Five hundred years ago, Strasbourg witnessed what may have been the world’s first rave. In the warm summer months of 1518, several hundred people started dancing feverishly in what became known as a dancing plague. Several of the participants danced until they collapsed. There are numerous theories about what caused the dance mania, but some researchers believe that poor harvests led to the growth of an ergot fungus, which can cause psychotic spasms and hallucinations similar to those caused by LSD.
In 2018, the 500th anniversary was commemorated with exhibitions and books in Strasbourg, and not least with a gigantic rave party hosted by a group of DJs calling themselves “1518”.
MASS was inspired by history’s numerous human rituals, where dance and music come together and can lead to pure euphoria, a collective trance and enjoyment. A rave is a beautiful sanctuary and place of refuge which promotes a feeling of closeness with the other ravers, the electronic music and the surroundings.