Although Alessandra Ferri was literally world famous for her “bad ballet run”, knees up and forward of her, feet behind. She’d get to do a lot of running like that in her signature role - Juliet in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s “Romeo and Juliet”.
I'm 56 now. It's been years since I stopped ballet. And still, people often tell me I have a very specific way of walking, especially when I'm walking indoors where it's quiet.. Toe first, gently. 😊 I don't even realize I'm doing it! And my resting stance while walking is often in fourth position. After all these years, it still lives in my bones. 🥰
I've seen ballerinas do the first run in pieces like Romeo & Juliette, specifically the balcony pdd. I think it adds to the lightness and freedom of the variation.