Circus Performer Falls From Tightrope on Video, Hospitalized With Serious Injuries

A circus performer fell from a tightrope 16 feet in the air, hitting the ground hard and remaining motionless after impact ... and it's all on video.

Horrifying footage shows the performer perched on a chair balanced on poles held by 2 men on a tightrope ... she's standing up and sitting back down as part of the act -- but when she tries to sit, she loses her footing and falls off to her right.

The performer appears to catch her leg on a rope on her way down, and her body flips before she lands on the ground ... hard.

It all looks super painful ... and it was ... because she lies motionless on the ground as people rush over to help.

The performer was rushed to a hospital with serious injuries ... including to her face. Fortunately, the damage was reportedly not life-threatening.

The female circus performer was part of a highwire troupe act from Colombia, performing with Gravity Circus at Glyne Gap Field in East Sussex, England.

Here's hoping for a full recovery.