In 1374, the city of Aachen in the Holy Roman Empire experienced a major outbreak of dancing mania, a precursor to the more famous 1518 Strasbourg epidemic. Crowds of people, sometimes hundreds, took to the streets in uncontrollable dancing, often accompanied by screaming and visions, until they collapsed from exhaustion. The phenomenon was attributed to demonic possession or divine punishment, and it spread to other parts of Europe, reflecting the deep religious and social tensions of the era.

The Aachen dancing mania has been cited in historical and literary works as an example of the bizarre collective behaviors that characterized the late Middle Ages. The event has inspired poets and writers to explore the intersection of religion, madness, and social contagion, and it has been referenced in works that examine the psychology of crowds and the role of ritual in medieval society. The dancing mania also serves as a precursor to the more famous Strasbourg epidemic and continues to captivate the imagination of writers and artists.