[en] A schematic model for the mixing of rotational bands above the yrast line in well deformed nuclei is considered. Many-particle configurations of a rotating mean field form basis bands, and these are subsequently mixed due to a two body residual interaction. The energy interval over which a basis band is spread out increases with increasing excitation energy above the yrast line. Conversely, the B(E2) matrix element for rotational decay out of one of the mixed band states is spread over an interval which is predicted to become more narrow with increasing excitation energy. Finally, the implication of band mixing for γ-ray energy correlations is briefly discussed. (orig.)