Inspiration
I was inspired by the eerie and captivating true story of the Dancing Plague of 1518 — an event so surreal it feels almost mythical. As someone fascinated by unexplained historical phenomena, I wanted to bring this story to life in a way that blends storytelling with thoughtful design, allowing users to step into the strangeness of history.
What it does
The website immerses users in a chronological narrative of the Dancing Plague through carefully written sections, real quotes, and historically-inspired design. Rather than clicking through menus, users simply scroll through the unfolding story, as if flipping through the pages of an illustrated manuscript.
How we built it
I built this project solo using HTML, CSS, and a touch of JavaScript for interactive enhancements. The layout and color palette were chosen to evoke a historical feel while keeping it accessible and readable. I also used custom fonts and subtle animations to support the storytelling flow.
Challenges we ran into
The main challenge was designing a site that felt like a story, not just a webpage. Traditional website elements like navbars didn’t fit well in this format, so I had to rethink layout decisions to preserve immersion. Balancing aesthetic, readability, and narrative flow as a solo creator required a lot of iteration.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
I'm proud of crafting a cohesive experience that doesn’t just inform — it engages. Every detail, from the background tone to the paragraph flow, was intentionally chosen to enhance the storytelling. Building it all on my own from scratch has been deeply rewarding.
What we learned
I learned how to structure narrative-based websites, how design choices affect user engagement in story-driven contexts, and how to keep a solo project organized from start to finish. I also gained experience with accessibility and performance optimization for longer content pages.
What's next for historical event website
I plan to expand this into a series of historical event stories, each with its own unique theme and tone. Future additions may include background music toggles, voice narration, or even scroll-triggered illustrations to enhance user immersion — all while keeping it a one-person project.
Built With
- css
- github
- html
- javascript
- vercile
- vscode
