Magic of Walpurgis Night
The history of the May Dance and the driving out of winter
I. Nuremberg's Golden Age
A dance in the alleys of the old town
II. The Legend of Walpurgis Night
Witches, rogues, and the moonlight
III. The Dance to Drive Out Winter
Fire, noise, and spring's awakening
I. Nuremberg's Golden Age
In the winding alleys of Nuremberg, where the old walls whisper their stories and the shadows of the past still seem to dance, our May Dance finds its perfect setting. When we gather in the Kulturscheune of the Altstadtfreunde, we immerse ourselves in Nuremberg's golden age – an epoch in which wealthy patricians, skilled craftsmen, and cosmopolitan merchants shaped the image of the Free Imperial City.
Dressed in historical garments, I, as dancing master, will take you on a journey to the magnificent courts of princes and kings. It is a feast for the senses and the soul alike. At the same time, we honor with this ball not only history, but also those who preserve it: A portion of the proceeds from this night traditionally benefits the Altstadtfreunde Nürnberg e.V., to support them in their admirable commitment to the preservation and reconstruction of Nuremberg's historical monuments.
II. The Legend of Walpurgis Night
The Dance into May is inseparably interwoven with the dark yet fascinating legends of Walpurgis Night. In that night from April 30th to May 1st, so it was once told, witches, demons, and rogues frolic in the pale light of the moon. Originally, the name goes back to Saint Walpurga, an 8th-century English abbess whose memorial day in the Middle Ages was set for May 1st. Paradoxically, she was considered a patron saint against witchcraft and evil spirits.
In the popular imagination, however, the Christian memorial day quickly merged with deeply rooted pagan beliefs. It was believed that in this magical threshold night, witches rode through the air on brooms, pitchforks, or even animals to gather for grand, wild festivities on elevations like the legendary Blocksberg (Brocken). To protect themselves from these dark forces, the rural population employed numerous rituals: consecrated branches were placed on stable doors, whips were cracked, and blazing fires were lit. It is from precisely this eerily beautiful tradition that our May Dance draws its special, mysterious charm – we do not stand against the commotion, but join the exuberant round dance and let the turmoil of the centuries carry us across the dance floor.
III. The Dance to Drive Out Winter
Long before one spoke of Walpurgis, the time around the 1st of May marked one of the most important festivals of the year for the Celts and Germanic tribes: The beginning of the summer half-year. After the long, deprived, and dark months of winter, people longed for light, warmth, and fertility. The Dance into May was therefore, in its deepest origin, a loud, wild, and ecstatic ritual for "driving out winter."
With blazing May fires, deafening noise of drums, bells, and cracking whips, they wanted to drive out the icy demons of the dark season once and for all and, as it were, wake up the spring. The dance around the fire, and later around the decorated Maypole, was a symbol of the eternal cycle of life and awakening nature. When we celebrate our alley and circle dances from the Renaissance and Baroque in the Kulturscheune today, we tie in exactly with this ancient longing. The swift rhythms, the communal clapping, and the joyful turns in the dance serve the same purpose as once before: To pay homage to life, shake off the shadows of the past, and joyfully welcome the warming May.
