Ms McInnes said she would be back to see the film at its next screening.
“Despite missing out and seeing other friends turned away after us, we are thrilled The Dome was full. Great to see a fantastic venue buzzing,” she said.
Ms Shanks noted a mix of tourists and Gisborne residents at the screening but believed the film itself was the reason for the record crowd.
The documentary features a compilation of professional and home footage showcasing the life and career of Polunin, who joined the British Royal Ballet at the age of 13.
The dancer rose to prominence in the ballet world at the age of 19, when he became the British company’s youngest principal dancer.
Now 27, Polunin speaks candidly throughout the film, recounting the psychological and physical difficulties of being a professional ballet dancer.
There is also the pressure of his family, who divided and moved around Europe to pay his tuition fees.
Polunin’s reputation as the bad boy of ballet arises in the fall-out, as the dancer tries to deal with a demanding career, a broken family and the normal temptations of youth.
“It’s not simply a story about ballet. It’s quite rock and roll really and hardcore,” Ms Shanks said.
“I have noticed that more and more men are coming. The women think he's hot, and he is. It’s also beautifully filmed.”
The film will screen again at The Dome on January 19 and 22, and more screenings will be scheduled.
