Large Lighting project - total newbie

Hoping you folk can help.

I am trying to build an interactive dancefloor. The main component of the floor will be a lighting set up of apporximately 100 (ISH) lights.

I know that make hardware can help me - but so far my expertise lie only in max/msp. Ideally I was wanted to just get DMX controlled dimmer packs - but on the scale that I am working on - the project will bank rupt on dimmers alone.

So...

Is it possible using make hardware to dim 100 lights ? I did a bit of reading and it seemed i could in essence make a a bunch of on off switches, but ideally i would like to be able to dim each socket as well.

If this is possibly - what hardware would I need, whata reading should I do, and whats the most cost-effective approach to doing this.

I am fairly technically inclined - I just have no idea where to start.

Thanks in advance, any and all help would be appreciated.