10. When John the Baptist Ticked Off a Queen and Princess
Nowadays, when people think of famous historic dances, what comes to mind might be modern era performances like Fred and Ginger, Michael Jackson’s Moonwalk, or the final scene from Dirty Dancing. In earlier centuries, however, the most famous dance that sprang to mind was one recounted in, of all places, the Bible: the Dance of the Seven Veils. It was a deadly dance that cost John the Baptist his life. Per the New Testament, this John anticipated the arrival of a messiah, and baptized Jesus. He had followers, and some of Christ’s disciples started off as John’s disciples. He came to a bloody end after he criticized Herod Antipas because he divorced his wife then unlawfully wed Herodias, his brother’s spouse. John pretty much called Herodias a whore. That, understandably, upset both her and her daughter, Salome.
