Continuous, even lighting for a large area

I photograph a ballroom dance event twice a year and a friend of mine videos it. At the last event we had the benefit of three large, pro grade flood lights loaned to us. They gave us enough light, but there were problematic hot spots on the large dance floor (24' deep, 36' wide).
We're thinking about installing a more or less permanent array of small flood lights; maybe 20 to 30 100watt bulbs.
We have the leeway to do this because the videographer is co-owner of the studio. Do you think we're on the right track, or should we learn to better manage a few powerful lights?
Thanks for any input.

Do you really want to spoil any atmosphere there is by lighting it up like it's daytime?

I'm a huge fan of available light for any event photography. Even if it means going to ISO 1200+ and using a monopod.

Vascilli wrote in post #7896275
I'm a huge fan of available light for any event photography. Even if it means going to ISO 1200+ and using a monopod.

Just to play the devils advocate for both sides in one thread... at wedding receptions ambient exposure can be ISO3200, F2.8, 1/5th. Ambient isn't really an option then, even at F1.4 you only get 1/20th which is way too slow hand held without IS, even with a monopod.

tim wrote in post #7895757
Do you really want to spoil any atmosphere there is by lighting it up like it's daytime?

Yes and no.
As a learning photographer shooting this event in the same room four times I've calculated pretty well where I'd like to go with my gear/potential gear. Honestly, no, I'd rather not light the place up like daylight.*
However, the video guy does want too. I consider this a plus because it will give me the opportunity to both click like a banshee flash free, and switch on some flash at moments here and there.
The bottom line is, while I look forward to beating the ambient light by adding a 580EX to master/slave my 430EX, the powers that be dictate some bright room light. My real question is whether to get smart on using a few big/pro/expensive continuous lights (and if so, how?) or simply shower the place with 'conventional' lighting. It's really more a video question than a photo question, but I do appreciate input from a photo perspective.

*For reference, I shot the last event flash free with a 24-70L Av mode wide open at f/2.8, ISO 800 and the SS was coming in at 1/60 to 1/320.
I learned that I need the aperture at least to f/4 for DOF on 2 dancers who are often oriented near/far, not always side by side. SS 1/125 is the minimum I can tolerate for dancers. Ignoring the subject matter, my ideal would be to evenly light the room for f/4-f/5.6, 1/200, and ISO 400. From that baseline I could concentrate on framing and turning the flashes on for highlights at opportune moments. Hopefully the video would be sufficiently lit there too.

I would shoot ISO1600, F4, 1/125th, with off camera strobes to light the dancers. This way you'll get nice sharp photos, bright backgrounds, and good DOF without the whole room being in focus.

Indirect lighting would look far better than direct lighting from many sources. Try to hide the lamps from view on the floor but bounce the light off the ceiling and walls. This assumes the ceiling and walls are white so that the color of the light won't be radically changed.