Dance is known as Kootthu or Adal in Tamil. The Silappathikaram of Ilango Adigal (1AD) is a treasurehouse of cultural information from the Tamil land of almost 2000 years ago. A Grammar of Dance looks closely at the sixth canto, Arangetru Kadhai, which talks about the arangetram or debut performance of Madhavi, a courtesan in the Chozha court in Puhar. Ilango Adigal outlines the merits of a trained dancer, which include detailed knowledge of the technique of Kootthu and its allied art forms. This canto also gives us information on the auditorium architecture of the time and the presentation of a ceremonial staff or thalaikol to a proficient artiste after her arangetram.

A Grammar of Dance is the first published English translation of Ilango Adigal’s Arangetru Kadhai along with the commentaries, the detailed insights of which will allow connoisseurs of dance and culture to immerse themselves in the rich art form of Kootthu, millennia old and preserved for posterity through careful documentation.