2 hours ago
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In 2012, I moved from the Sunshine Coast to Melbourne to join the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA). There wasn’t a big circus or acrobatics community where I grew up, so it felt exciting to be surrounded by 23 other teenagers who shared the same passion.
I was 17, the youngest of our year, and my allocated buddy was Cal. He was a year older, full of energy and had a way of making everyone laugh. We clicked instantly, and we took the rules of being a buddy very seriously – including giving each other a muffin if one of us was injured. We both ate a lot of muffins that year.
We also balanced each other out. He specialised in teeterboard and balance ladder, and I perform with hula hoops. Cal has a larger-than-life personality, while I am quieter. His brain always seemed to have a million tabs open, whereas mine works quite differently.
Circus school was very social. On weekends the whole group went to movies or parties, but slowly and subtly Cal and I drifted into spending more time together. We became flirty friends. Even though there was tension between us, we didn’t rush into anything because we knew we’d be working side by side for years and we didn’t want to complicate things.
In our second year, our flirty friendship turned into something more. During a study tour in Paris, Cal told me he loved me. It wasn’t under the Eiffel Tower like he’d planned, but it was still very special. After that, we became girlfriend and boyfriend, but it wasn’t long before our schedules were going to change and time together wasn’t guaranteed.
In 2015, Cal’s company took him to the UK for a few months. I had my first contract in Germany, and when doing long distance wasn’t sustainable, we decided to end things. It was hard, but it felt like the right choice at the time.
The following year, I was given a break from touring and I booked a trip to London to see some Australian friends living there. I knew Cal would be there too, and when we saw each other again, it was like no time had passed at all. He asked if I wanted to give things another go, and I didn’t hesitate.
That summer, his company was performing in the circus and theatre section at Glastonbury. I put my hand up to volunteer with the team so I could be there too.
Adele was the headliner, and I was a fan. But I wasn’t familiar with Make You Feel My Love. When she started singing that song, I started crying. It felt as though the lyrics – “I’ve known it from the moment that we met. No doubt in my mind where you belong” – were speaking directly to us. There was no doubt in my mind that we should be together. After the show, I told Cal how I felt, and we agreed to make it work, no matter the challenges.
For the next few years we toured almost constantly, often in different countries, but we made the effort to see each other whenever possible. In 2017 we created a cabaret show so we could finally tour together.
When Covid halted touring, we lived at Cal’s sister’s place in the Blue Mountains, helping with her kids while she worked. It was the first time in years we weren’t travelling, and it gave us a chance to enjoy everyday life together. It was nice to set up a space that was our own, and not live out of a suitcase for a while. When restrictions were lifted, we eventually settled down in Queensland.
We’ve since built a shipping container home on my parents’ property, with a sauna, ice bath and Jacuzzi. It feels like a little place we can retreat to between tours. These days, we spend most of the year together.
On stage, Cal is always my biggest supporter – I can hear his laugh across the room. When he hears my music cue, he cheers and calls out “that’s my girlfriend”.
Sometimes he’ll surprise me with a muffin, just like when we first met. It reminds me how far we’ve come, and how much we still lift each other up.
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Chelsea is performing in Lash Out at the Sydney fringe festival from 23 September to 12 October. Cal is performing in Elixir Revived in Sydney until 12 October
