BLACK VOICES
(overlapping)
You the professor, Les!  Yeah!
Educate 'em!  Go to high-steppin'
on 'em!  Whirl, Rose Marie, show
out!

5

INT. IMPERIAL BALLROOM—BANDSTAND—DANCE FLOOR. NIGHT.

THE DANDRIDGE SISTERS, SINGING, view the dance showdown with growing fascination from the bandstand.

The ROWDY CHEERING of the CROWD revs up the TWO COUPLES to maximum overdrive.  They pull out the stops, echoing intricate footwork, as they boogie-down in wild abandon.

The CHEERING between the two sections grows LOUDER, harsher, more frantic.  The heat index in the hothouse environment is approaching the boiling point. 

The TWO REDNECK DEPUTIES exchange grave looks.  Things could turn very ugly very quickly.

The WHITE COUPLE, CYRUS and DONNA LEE, stepping lively,   rock close together in preparation for the swing-out. 

DONNA LEE is taken aback when CYRUS suddenly tosses her out too wide to his left—

—causing her to stumble and lose her balance and FLY BACKWARDS into the red velvet rope, which tumbles down under her weight as—