When Baryshnikov became artistic director of ABT in 1980, he appointed France his assistant. According to the Times, France was an influential, if sometimes autocratic, figure at the company for the next nine years, a period when Baryshnikov added many new works to its repertoire.
In 1989, ABT's new executive director, Jane Hermann, placed an ailing France on a leave of absence. Baryshnikov, angry at what he saw as violation of his authority, resigned, and France never resumed his post.