The term is somewhat misleading, however, in that it is only one form of dancing to have been done in the Scottish Highlands and, in addition, it has been subject to many influences from outside the Highlands. For example, it has been heavily influenced by the urban aesthetics of the patrons and judges of dance competitions since the nineteenth century.
Nowadays, Highland dancing, which can be seen at nearly every modern day Highland games event, is a highly competitive and technical dance form which requires many hours of practice and training over a period of several years to perfect. In terms of its technical requirements and the training required for its performance, Highland dancing has much in common with ballet.
In Highland dancing, in contrast to, say, ballroom dancing, the dancers dance on the balls of the feet. In many ways, Highland dancing evolved from solo step dancing, but while some forms of step dancing are purely percussive in nature, Highland dancing involves not only a combination of steps but also some integral upper body, arm, and hand movements. Even so, it is still considered a form of step dancing in that the main element of Highland dancing is concerned with footwork.