Soundtrack / Compilation   Celebrate Broadway: Volume 9: Gotta Dance! Music and Lyrics By: Various Artists Distributed by: Masterworks Broadway Reviewed by Melissa Minners               Originally released on CD in 1995, Celebrate Broadway: Volume 9: Gotta Dance! is a compilation of dance numbers from Broadway musicals.  Celebrate Broadway: Volume 9: Gotta Dance! contains dance numbers from such Broadway hits as West Side Story, 42nd Street, Chess, Ain’t Misbehavin’ by composers like Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, David Merrick, Stephen Sondheim and more.  On December 21, 2010, Masterworks Broadway released a digital download version of the original CD.             Having thoroughly enjoyed Celebrate Broadway: Volume 8: Duets, I couldn’t wait to check out this volume of the series.  Unfortunately, the dance numbers that are so enjoyable when viewed on stage don’t always translate well on albums.  That’s because the visual displays of the dance performed along with the music are exciting.  Without those visuals, many of the songs from these dance numbers fall flat.  Take for instance Somewhere from West Side Story- I found the fact that this song was selected for the album at all a bit odd.  The lyrics of the song are absolutely beautiful as a love theme.  However, this is not the love theme - this is the dance number.  Thus, the beauty of the lyrics is lost to the too-long music that is supposed to be accompanied by various cast members dancing.  Charleston is another of those tracks that, without the visuals of the dance number, is just not exciting enough to make you jump up and dance along with the music.              I like One Night in Bangkok as a song and have seen the dance number performance from Chess, so that wasn’t a total loss on this album.  The Joint is Jumpin’ is another one of those tracks that doesn’t need the actual visuals of the dance number to be enjoyable.  Although these are enjoyable, I feel that the only track that really deserves to be on this album is The Dance at the Gym from West Side Story.  This is a song composed with an exciting theme that will actually get you out of your seat and dancing.  Other than that, the album falls short of its intended goal.             Surprisingly missing from this album are songs from A Chorus Line, Chicago, Grease, Cabaret and other Broadway musicals with incredibly enjoyable dance numbers and songs that would definitely get you moving.             If you are a hardcore Broadway musical fan, you will probably want to add this album to your collection if only to have some of the most well known dance numbers on Broadway.  Otherwise, I would recommend skipping Celebrate Broadway: Volume 9: Gotta Dance!  This is one album that simply doesn’t live up to its name.   For feedback, visit our message board or e-mail the author at talonkarrde@g-pop.net.