7 Hours Difference - Student Testimonials

 
Samuel Hopkins - BFA Acting student, Fall, 2025 - 7 Hours Difference, Part II
Of all of the work that I’ve been involved in, I am most proud of both the process and the result of 7 Hours Difference. My name is Samuel Hopkins and I am a senior BFA Acting and FTVM dual major. I have been in performing arts education since I was 11 years old. With every project, it is my goal to keep learning and growing, and I have never learned as much about theatre and dance and myself and creation and collaboration as I did on this project. For one, the opportunity to work with an amazing Bulgarian choreographer, Tatyana Sokolova. And not only to get to perform her spectacular work, but to learn about a culture that is completely different from the one we experience every day here in America was invaluable, both as a human and as an artist. Her methods of working created an environment that was rich with creativity, exploration, laughter and love. At the beginning of the process, I remember all of us being a bit daunted by the language barrier and how we would navigate that. But by the end, it felt like we had all picked up bits of Bulgarian, and what we didn’t understand word for word, we understood in ways that didn’t need explaining. Dance for me has always been one of the most important forms of expression because of its universality. This process was the epitome of that, and more.
 
Ryland Gigante - BFA Acting student, Fall, 2025 - 7 Hours Difference, Part II
Throughout my scholastic career, which gets closer and closer to being ‘finished’ everyday, there are few moments I can say have added new lenses to my worldview like 7 Hours Difference Part II has. Knowing now how much working with and learning from someone from the other side of the world impacted my artistic and educational drive, my engine, I can’t imagine that I’ll stop seeking out that opportunity throughout the rest of my career as an actor. Learning from two of them at once is something I can’t describe in words. (Though I’ll certainly attempt.) When I was first introduced to Tatyana Sokolova, she met me in a way nobody had before. Not by learning my name nor shaking my hand, but by understanding who I was and how I moved on a deeply physical level. I was shaken by it at first, but I think now that meeting someone of her skill level and intuition, without the ability to communicate with me in too many words, broke down barriers that I wouldn’t have even thought existed had this not been the intensely collaborative project that it was. I like to think I can speak for the entire cast in saying that we were all affected. In tandem with Tzveta Kassabova’s prior knowledge of us as artists and people, this degree of pedagogy allowed us to create a work of art at such a level of proficiency in exploration, that prior to my involvement, I would have thought my role could have only been that of the gawking audience member, dazzled by chemistry and a blend of physical/emotional nuance. If it sounds like I’m bragging… good. I am. One of my closest friends from a grade above my own had the opportunity of being a part of a few other pieces directed by Tzveta Kassabova, and as he was reflecting on his time at Michigan, he told me he would be perfectly fine never doing another traditional ‘scene’ again. If that doesn’t speak to the power of this level of cross-cultural collaboration, I truly do hope that whoever is reading this has the pleasure of being able to see or experience it for themselves.
 
 
Myah Bridgewater - BFA Acting student, Fall, 2025 - 7 Hours Difference, Part II
This past semester I had the honor of being a cast member in 7 hours difference. If I had to describe my experience and the show itself, I would say cross-cultural community. Th piece itself deals with how a group of people navigate a world unknown to them and how we as a society deal with access of things. Whether that be money, knowledge, power etc.  This is a prevalent theme in the world today as we are at the height of the age of media and over-consumption. What happens if we were to lose it all? The piece is part of a two-part series  in collaboration with students in Bulgaria dealing with how two different nations, over 5,000 miles apart interpret these themes. Working with Bulgarian director, Tania, was truly an eye-opening experience that I could build upon if given the opportunity to travel abroad. Though she did not speak fluent English through movement, care and community, we were able to develop a shared vocabulary. This speaks to the power of art and its ability to transcend time and space. It will be an extremely valuable experience to travel abroad with the piece, allowing us to understand the country in which the creator of our piece is from and immerse ourselves in a different culture. Consequently, it enhances our knowledge and ability as artists in a way no other experience can.
 
 
Ella Lewis– BFA Acting student, Fall, 20257 Hours Difference, Part II
The 7 Hours Difference experience has been the most rewarding, exciting and meaningful process that I’ve been a part of in my time participating in theatre let alone at the University of Michigan. From the first rehearsal, I knew that we had the opportunity to create something special and completely embrace a new rehearsal and performance style. Immediately, I got to learn and get direction in a different language while in a safe and thrilling environment. I got to truly understand how movement can be universal and allow for meaningful connections to be made that extend beyond circumstances of distance, time, culture, and language. Tania, our fabulous director, fostered an environment of joy, determination, and comradery where by the end of the process I had learned just as much about life as I did about dance and theatre. Her specific background in ballet and dance was especially exciting for me and hearing about her own journey, as well as Tzveta’s, moving in and out of different worlds in the arts inspired me beyond belief. It’s truly because of my experience with Tania, and the world that her and Tzveta opened up, that I have a strong desire to pursue not only a movement theatre career in my own communities but abroad as well. 
I recall many times where I shared stories about the 7 Hours Difference process to some of my acting peers who weren’t in the show, and their reactions only solidified the feeling that I got to be a part of something so unique. Learning a different methodology and approach to rehearsal was invaluable and Tania introduced me to a world of concrete and abstract techniques that I can continue to draw on in any other process. This experience was already quite impactful, and just having a brief introduction to the world of theatre in Bulgaria is something I will be very grateful for. The opportunities to collaborate with artists from strikingly different backgrounds has allowed me to break down boundaries I never knew were there because of the sometimes limiting exposure to the world of theatre outside of the US. We not only started to pick up a Bulgarian word every now and then but built professional and personal relationships with successful theatre-makers that live all the way on the other side of the globe.
 
 
Rohan Maletira - BFA Acting student, Prometheus. Beginnings. Sibiu, June 2024
Last summer, I was fortunate enough to go to Romania to perform Prometheus. Beginnings. devised by Tzveta Kassabova and the cast. I hadn’t ever fathomed an opportunity like this, so the thought of going to Romania and performing for an international audience at the Sibiu Festival seemed daunting yet exciting. The things I learned there – from seeing other projects from groups that spanned from Asia to Europe, to getting to talk to other performers — I feel, are my jewels I will cherish from my time at the university. Not only did I learn about the various cultures and theatrical styles, but it also taught me what it is to be a professional artist. And most importantly, it reaffirmed me that I was on the right path.
 I feel that at the University of Michigan, we are provided with an ample amount of knowledge of world theater, but rarely do we ever get to witness an international art piece. In Romania, at the Sibiu festival, I witnessed 8 art pieces – dance, movement, and theater – from Sibiu, China, South America, and Korea. And after each, I brought home an idea of what storytelling meant to me. By the end of the trip, I became even more motivated to explore different ways to tell a story. My imagination felt like it had expanded and blossomed to include different styles of theater I wouldn’t have been able to experience had I not been a part of this trip.
 Apart from seeing live theater, being able to perform at the festival gave me an extra boost of confidence and drive, both of which are needed to have a long career in this industry. One may dream of performing abroad but never see it as a reality. Tzveta Kassabova turned that dream into a reality, giving that helping hand, allowing us to step out of our comfort zones of the school, and taking the next step (an enormous step) into the professional world.
I believe that opportunities to perform abroad don’t come very often, and to have that opportunity as a student at the University of Michigan can be eye opening on how the rest of the world studies and creates art. Tzveta has given me this opportunity, and I encourage it to be given to other students in the program. I can, so easily, say I wouldn’t be the artist I am today without this experience!

 
Constance Meade (CC) –  BFA Acting student - 7 Hours Difference, Part II Fall, 2025
Working with Tania Sokolova on 7 Hours Difference: Simple Present Tense (Part Two) was the best experience of my entire college career. My first year in the BFA Acting program here at Michigan, I wanted nothing to do with dance or movement. It was absolutely not my strong suit and I was dreading the class and the challenge of learning. 
Then I met Tzveta and my whole world turned upside down. Her approach to movement and physical theatre was nothing like I had ever experienced. It brought different cultures together through a variety of different movement qualities and performances. It opened my eyes to an entire world of theatre that was untapped for me. I never thought I would be skilled enough to work on a devised movement piece. But, Tzveta and Tania trusted me and I’m so glad they did. 
Working with Tania was such an amazing experience. The first day, we were all a little nervous as she only spoke Bulgarian and we only spoke English. But as time went on, we both began to share little pieces of our languages and cultures. Our cast would watch videos of the Bulgarian students performing Part One, we would start to say Bulgarian phrases we had picked up from Tania, and Tania began to tell us about small parts of American culture she enjoyed - especially Trader Joe’s! 
What was most important to me, though, was learning about theatre and performance in Bulgaria and greater Eastern Europe. My lens of performance and my understanding of what kind of art I want to be in and create will be forever changed because of my experience working with Tania. Even though we didn’t speak the same language, we were able to understand each other’s experiences through our theatre making. This was the most important thing I have learned during my time at Michigan.
 

Molly Felsher - BFA Acting graduate- Prometheus. Beginnings. Sibiu, June 2024
This past Summer, I had the privilege of attending the Sibiu International Theatre Festival (FITS) with Tzveta Kassabova and the cast and crew of PROMETHEUS. BEGINNINGS. I was a part of this project from the beginning, starting the second semester of my junior year. When we learned of the show's acceptance into FITS 2024, we revamped and revived it my senior year. We had an updated performance in Ann Arbor, then took it on tour that summer following the winter semester of 2024.
The experience of working on the show and being able to tour it abroad was hands down my most fulfilling and educational performing experience at the University of Michigan. During the creation process of the show, we were able to work with students across different majors, professors at different universities, and gather our different skill sets as a cast and crew to transcend traditional theatre values and create something truly unique. I learned so much about collaboration, creation, and the steps it takes to artistically and logistically create a show from the ground up. I was able to really put everything I was learning in my BFA classes in the Acting department into practice.
Being able to travel the show was also incredibly educational. We were able to experience what it is like to participate in a huge international theatre festival, something many of us performers only hope to achieve in our professional careers. We learned about what it is like to rehearse and perform in a fast-paced, high energy environment, where you must stay focused and keep up! Additionally, before and after our performance, we had ample time to explore the wonderful festival. I saw some of the best theatre I have ever seen in my life at FITS. With a wide range of performances, I was able to see more traditional pieces of theatre and observe how they are done by different cultures/countries, as well as new wave, high tech pieces, street performances, dance shows, and so much more. I think one of the most valuable ways to learn is by observing, and by observing all of this wonderful different theatre, done by different types of people from different places and walks of life, opened my eyes to so much knowledge and inspiration. Oftentimes in our small BFA Acting program, thinking can become insular, but this opportunity from beginning to end allowed me, and I imagine my other peers involved, to
become educated and inspired on a more worldly level.
 

 Audrey Andrews  – BFA Acting student- 7 Hours Difference, Part II – Fall, 2025
Working on 7 Hours Difference with Tania was an incredibly impactful experience. I came into the process with a good chunk of dance experience and strong passion for movement, but the rehearsals pushed me to elevate my artistry and craft movement more intentionally. Tania’s attention to detail was such an inspiration and it led to a shared movement vocabulary amongst the cast. This contributed to the strong bond of the group, making rehearsals simultaneously efficient and enjoyable. I was excited to go to rehearsal every day. Navigating the language barrier between Tania and the group was one of my favorite parts of this process. Within a few rehearsals, we started to understand Tania more consistently and by the end of the shows, I would say we were quite “fluent” in Tania. Her care for the work and for each of us as individuals was felt in every word of hers. I feel so immensely grateful to have been a part of this creation. 
 
 
Zack Gergel - BFA Acting student-  7 Hours Difference, Part II – Fall, 2025
Working with Tania and Tzveta on 7 Hours Difference was a transformative experience. I went in unsure if I wanted to dedicate so much time to a project that is so different from the rest of my training in SMTD; running and rolling around in some abstract piece of theatre won't make me a better character actor, I thought to myself. This impression of what it would be like to participate in the piece and what theatre training should look like quickly vanished once we started rehearsing, as did my narrow view of what is "truthful" in my art form. 
If the rehearsal process for a typical university production is like hiking a trail with a map, food, water, and a phone with perfect internet access, then working on this piece with Tanya was like being dropped into the middle of the wilderness with nothing but your instincts and a guardian to help guide you when you get lost. There were no introductions, we learned about each other through the work which started immediately. There was no script, and Tania's approach to her work is not about talking but doing. We had nothing to use except our raw humanity and individual personalities. And we were always creating. Rehearsals were not rehearsals, they were a sacred time at the end of the day where met in the studio and explored what it means to be human through physical movement, and when there was something profound or interesting, we kept it to share with our audience. I have never felt more ownership over my work on stage before and my character was a part of me, we were inseparable. 
There have been times in college where I have not felt connected to my work and consequently became stressed before opening night because I'm not comfortable with what I'm doing on stage, it wasn't me and I couldn't have faith in it. This experience showed me the power of owning your work on stage and aligning yourself with your character. I will take this experience with me into everything I do on stage. 
 
Edie Crowley - BFA Acting graduate- Prometheus. Beginnings. Sibiu, June 2024
To whom it may concern, 
My name is Edie Crowley and I graduated May 2024 from University Of Michigan's BFA Acting program. I had the pleasure and privilege of being a part of a dance theatre piece that was taken to Sibiu's International theatre Festival in Romania: Prometheus! This show was a huge part of my academic and artistic experience at UofM.  
To start working with Tzveta Kassabova is something most artists should dream of. She aids her students to make directorial choices, pushes them as performers, and challenges them as intellectuals. She truly does it all. Starting to work on Prometheus in 2023 (my Junior year) turned out to be the most fulfilling process I experienced at UofM. Tzveta treated us as equals and collaborators rather than a superior. She was open to any and all ideas from her students and implemented them as well as tried EVERYTHING out. Nothing is a bad idea with Tzveta. The intimate cast size allowed for a family relationship to form between all the players. When we did our "final" performance of Prometheus in March of 2023 I was quite sad to say goodbye to this piece even though there was so much more to explore with it.
 Luckily for me and my fellow students this performance was not the end it was only the beginning of our journey on this piece. Sometime in Winter semester 2024 (my now senior year) Tzveta reached out to the cast with exciting news!! Sibiu International Theatre Festival wanted US to come perform in their University program lineup. Two cast mates, Molly and Victoria, and I were bursting with joy and quite literally freaking out in the hall way. Pairing my passion, theatre, with my love, travel and international exchange, seemed too good to be true…. but luckily for me I was living my dream!! Beyond going to Romania I was thrilled to question, challenge, and change choices made in our first draft of this production. Actors know best that being able to give a project space and come back to it is a blessing, we were blessed!
That we did! We changed so many aspects of the piece that strengthened our message and our show.
We would never have gotten the chance to do that if we didn’t go to Sibiu!
Speaking of Sibiu! Wow. Romania was quite literally incredible! It is a country I probably would never have traveled to without a work purpose and that made it ten times more exciting. Experience the cultural differences as well as theatrical differences was so incredibly valuable. We went to tens of productions that were created, rehearsed, flown in from every inch of our world. Many shows are not in English, but we were able to experience the emotional vulnerability of them through tools we have learned at the University of Michigan. I was able to identify things I have learned in classrooms and fully immerse myself in an international world of performing. The seagull is something we study for a full semester at Michigan and in Romania we were able to see a Romanian production of it! Though not in English I understood, identified, and appreciated every aspect of the production. Sibiu’s festival brought more international understanding of what theatre means in different countries and where theatre is just always universal. We were able to meet so many interesting individuals and artists from around the world.
My time in Romania is priceless. I am forever grateful I was able to have this opportunity and I want every student after me to have this experience as well. It opened my eyes to new ways of thinking, as well as expanded my knowledge as an artist. I am forever grateful and indebted to Ms. Tzveta Kassabova for the ample amount of educational and artistic experiences Romania and Prometheus provided for me!
 
Victoria Vourkoutiotis - BFA Acting graduate- Prometheus. Beginnings. Sibiu, June 2024
Working with Tzveta, Jason, and the team for Prometheus: beginnings was, by far, the highlight of my college experience. Initially, my plan for my winter semester junior year was to direct a play I had been wanting to produce at Michigan for a while. I enrolled in the advanced movement course and on the first day, we were given the option to develop this piece with no guarantee of a performance. I thought it was an incredible project - it combined my love for history and dramaturgy with social issues, movement, dance, and lots of physical challenges. After we were told we could perform this at school, i put my other project aside to fully immerse myself in Prometheus. Some participants of the class who couldn’t make the performance date due to other commitments were included to develop their growth through this project as well. 
 Something I respecting immensely about this process was that we were treated like equal collaborators with room to lead, pitch, and try and fail with new ideas (I had an idea to float on a ladder being held above heads… didn’t go too well, but we still tried it!). This balance made us feel like colleges instead of students, but also leave room to have it framed like a class where we learned movement and dance phrases and physical skills (like hanging from a rope in the air, different sets of lifts, and much more). This development was crucial in my development of how I see myself as an actor. I never considered myself a dancer. I was physically fit from the sports world but was not the most graceful, musical, or limber. My first year of movement with Tzveta, I was advised to go to extra help for some special attention for moves I was having trouble with in class, such as vertical work. Tzveta’s patience, expertise, kindness, and devotion to her students does not to unnoticed at Michigan. She made me feel so incredibly confident that during Prometheus, I felt comfortable doing the lifts and phrases because I had grown so much in just a few years. I never felt like I had to prove myself or push too hard, but always felt supported to learn more. I always felt pushed in a supportive way in my educational development through these classes and experience.  
 Tzveta has been a driving force, during my 4 years at Michigan, for not only pushing me physically in movement and dance, but also mentally. I have never been so challenged and provoked than working on this project. She trusted us enough as artists to take leadership in different sections of which helped develop us as both directors and collaborators. It was a Greek myth, history, dance, movement, monologue, classical text, directing, and contemporary acting class all in one. It holistically helped develop all of us as artists. 
 This show received overwhelmingly high praise from our audiences at school. I had folks give reviews saying it was thought provoking, visually stimulating, beautiful, and inspiring. My favourite review was from my parents: they aren’t avid theatre-goers and they said: while we didn’t always know exactly what was going on, we followed and were touched. This production tackled real world issues such as climate change, animal rights, the refugee crisis, AI development, and increased technology and racism all told through Greek Mythology and different classical texts such as Kafka. It was surely a lot to cover in a short piece, but these stories being told through movement primarily was a unique form of storytelling not seen in commercial theatre. I am honoured to have been part of a project that brought a new wave of that work to Michigan with Tzveta. 
 Sibiu was a life changing experience. I don’t know how many other college kids in acting programs get the opportunity to develop a piece for an international premier, but it was truly special. We were able to learn how to reformat the show for a different, non English speaking audience, and an entirely new space. This taught us all new meanings for collaboration, flexibility, creativity, and open mindedness. Before the redevelopment started, Tzveta asked us all to take notes of things we’d like to change from the original project. Something I admire and am so inspired by of her work is knowing a project is never completed, there’s always ways to change things and grow (such as having a new cast member for Sibiu!). As an ensemble, we developed version two of this show in just a few weeks. Performing and teaching in Sibiu was wild. We didn’t have all the equipment or tech support we expected, but we adapted. It was incredible for growth mindset. After performing, our tour guide/university helper, Mihail, a high school student, said he was enthralled with the production despite English not being his main language. He gave us great feedback and let us know how touched he was. The story being able to transcend a language barrier for such a young man touched my heart and made me so happy. 
 A couple months out from returning from Romania, I have now moved to New York City to pursue theatre. I will always keep Tzveta closest to my heart from Michigan: she is the embodiment of “just try it” and “why not” thinking that has been critical for my personal development. This mindset has surely helped me with my creativity and acting, but also just navigating a post grad life. The industry is so well gate kept by professionals and so far taken over by commercial theatre - we are seeing rises of conformity and lack of new innovative theatre. Tzveta has opened our minds to a different approach and mindset. 
 This side of the industry she has introduced us to, one of growth, failures, challenges, big ideas and following through. This was all not possible without Tzveta’s endless pushing for better for us students and for that, I am eternally grateful. 
 
Tate Zeleznik – Design and Production Student – Prometheus. Beginnings – June 2024
​Prometheus. Beginnings is by far the greatest artistic project I have ever had the opportunity to work on. Getting to travel to Sibiu with the company of performers and collaborators in the production has been the highlight of my time at The University of Michigan and honestly held more value to me than projects I've gotten to do on campus here because of the internationally sourced performances we were able to see and the collaborators from all across the world that we got the chance to interact with. As someone who has never gotten to see performing arts in a country other than The United States, having the chance to view so many pieces from all around the world was such an incredible gift. It felt so inspiring to be in a city that was so overflowing with art from all corners at all times of the day- it really changed my perspective on what art can and should look like. I am looking into theatre internships and work abroad now because I am so desperately craving something as life changing as what I got to do with Prometheus. Beginnings. Some of the performances we viewed were unlike anything I had ever been exposed to before. We saw multiple dance pieces performed in virtual reality which was something I had never heard of before. This past semester, I shared my experience getting to see these pieces in the projection design and theatrical media class I was taking and I was able to bring a unique perspective to the course because of those pieces I had viewed at the festival in Sibiu. Beyond constantly viewing the most incredible art I have ever seen, getting to perform our piece for the people who had come to the festival from all over the globe was one of the coolest things ever. So many people came to watch our show that audience members had to be turned away at the door because we exceeded capacity. Every show we watched was like this- full to the brim with people from all over the world who were all beyond excited to see a piece of art from a country or in a style they had never been exposed to before. I really changed as an artist from working with this company on this show. Tzveta's feedback and collaboration led to some of the most fruitful learning I have ever done on a production, and the pieces I watched from other performers at the festival in Sibiu have greatly informed all of the work I have done since. I think I would be a very different artist doing very different work right now if I hadn't had the opportunity to work on Prometheus. Beginnings in Sibiu, and I know that it would be an immense gift to any artist to be able to have the same experiences that the company of student actors and I had traveling abroad to perform theatre.