This is a children's book, but I am putting it here because I am hoping someone read this book as a child, and can remember what it is called.
The story's main character is a ballet dancer who goes to a prestigious ballet school (maybe the Bolshoi). She is very good, has a great career in front of her, and is about to get her big break when she gives into temptation, and has a go at bare-back circus acrobatics on a horse, falls off and damages her knee so,badly it puts an end to her ballet career.
Over to you brilliant mumsnetters. 
to you all.