THE STORY OF BALLET

The title of this British import is a misnomer: this is not the story of ballet but the story of British ballet--with a few nods to the Russians. For the balletomane who knows better, the misrepresentation is merely annoying (especially the three paragraphs toward the end devoted to ""American ballet""); but for the aspiring dancer, to whom the book is purportedly addressed, it can be downright damaging. The volume has no place on American bookshelves.