ORF has revealed the story that is being told on stage in Vienna, through the staging for its entry “TANZSCHEIN”.

The staging for Austria’s entry on home soil for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, tells the history of club history from the 70s through to the 2000s.  Dan Shipton and Ross Nicholson have staged the performance, with Adi Lozancic and Timo Reitbauer creating the costumes and Birgit Mörtl who has designed the dancers’ masks.

Each of the performers’ outfits indicates a different decade in club music, with ORF explaining:

Cosmó – Modern Global: The look of a modern superstar with strong tech influences and silver embellishments. The central element is a silver corset, created specifically for the performance, serving as the futuristic centerpiece of the show.
Guitarist – Future: The guitarist embodies the bouncer of the night in a sleek, armored outfit. The look combines tactical elements with industrial design, creating a formidable, futuristic silhouette.
Gazelle – 70s Indie Hippie: An homage to the freedom of the 70s – flowing leather fringes and distinctive flared trousers that dynamically underline every movement of the dancer.
Nashorn – 80s Disco Fever: The electric energy of the 80s on stage, with emphasized shoulders, a high collar and the typical power glam attitude translated into a black, furry high-voltage outfit.
Lioness – 90s Street Style: A reference to the 90s and thus the golden era of hip-hop through a reinterpretation of the classic jogging suit, accentuated by silver details.
Gorilla – Y2K The New Oversize: In true 2000s style, the outfit plays with extreme proportions and massive volume, dominated by heavy faux fur textures.

Dan and Ross commented:

“With our production, we harness the raw, instinctive energy that resides within each of us. Using custom-made animal masks and oversized props, COSMÓ and the dancers transform the stage into a wild, immersive celebration – a metaphor for shedding inhibitions. It’s about reconnecting with your primal self through movement, rhythm, and collective joy.”

The Austrian representative Cosmó added:

“After three months of intensive work with different concepts and many changes, bringing this production to the stage is truly a great moment for us as a team. Because now we can see: ‘Wow, we’ve created this.’ I’m looking forward to showing it to Europe and the whole world next week.”

Cosmó has been drawn to compete 25th on the night of the Grand Final, on May 16. This is the second time in two years that Austria has been drawn to close the Eurovision Song Contest.

You can read more about Cosmó below:

Source: ORF

Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest+

Austria debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957. Bob Martin represented the country on their debut but finished in last place, scoring just 3 points. Austria has won the contest three times, the first being in 1966 when Udo Jürgens performed “Merci, Chérie”. It was 48 years later when Austria won again in 2014, when Conchita Wurst performed “Rise Like a Phoenix”, scoring a total of 290 points. Austria’s third win came in 2025, when JJ sang “Wasted Love” and scored 436 points.