She danced for nearly a week, and before long, many others had joined in. By August, there were as many as 400 dancers. With no other explanation for the phenomenon, local physicians blamed it on “hot blood” and suggested that they simply dance the fever away.

A stage was constructed and professional dancers were brought in. The town even hired a band to provide backing music, but it wasn’t long before the marathon started to take its toll. Many dancers collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Some even died from strokes and heart attacks. The strange episode didn’t end until September, when the dancers were whisked away to a mountaintop shrine to pray for absolution.

phenomenon = something that exists or happens, usually something unusual

take a toll = cause suffering or damage

sheer = used for emphasis

whisk away = to take someone or something somewhere quickly

1. How many people were dancing?
2. What was the explanation given by local physicians?
3. How did the dancing end?

1. Do you like dancing?
2. When is the last time you danced?
3. Are you better at dancing or singing?
4. If everyone here started dancing right now, would you join in?