In 1989 I worked for the FAA and we had a trtaining room we were setting up in our hangar in an unused space that had fluorescent troffers with 40W 4’ tubes.
The instructor wanted a three-way dimmer system wired in so he could lower the lights for projection presentations.
We installed the commercial versions but they were muddy and caused a lot of flickering.
The better way would have been separate switches to turn out the center overhead rows and leave only the perimeter rows on.
That's how theaters usually work. Kill the overhead house lights, keep the footlights along the aisles. So people don't run into each other, but the folks on their seats aren't distracted.