Israeli dancer and choreographer Yuval Pick is set to take the helm of the Centre Choregraphique National de Rillieux-la-Pape in France this summer. The 40-year-old Pick will replace choreographer Maguy Marin, who has held the position since 1998.

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France’s Minister of Culture Frederic Mitterrand recently approved Pick’s appointment.

Pick began his dance career in Israel where he studied at the Bat-Dor Dance school of Tel Aviv. He then joined the Batsheva Dance Company in 1991. After interpreting many roles with Batsheva, Pick moved on to Nederlands Dance Theater and Lyon Opera Ballet, and performed collaborations with Tero Saarinen and Russell Maliphant, among others. In 2002, he founded The Guests.

Pick was one of dozens who applied for the position as director of the Centre Choregraphique National de Rillieux-la-Pape. CCN Rillieux-la-Pape, in the Rhone-Alpes region, is one of 19 such centers established around France to promote dance in outlying areas. He is to take on the new role in August.

“This will enable me to carry out significant work, based on my own language of movement, and act to enhance the place of dance in contemporary society,” Pick told the Haaretz newspaper. He said the appointment is validation of his creative work.