Hi odlambda ,
The EDN article doesn’t refer to the dimmer. It’s a very good solution to “decouple” an AC source from a discharged bulk capacitor immediately after the AC main is turned on. If the capacitor is completely discharged, its voltage drop is zero and the main voltage is applied to the resistances of the diodes in conduction. It’s like when a voltage Vs is applied to a capacitor through a small resistor. The current request initially is very high, and it may damage the device. The first picture shows a classical diac-triac dimmer circuit, with a L-C filter for the RF interference.
Note that here the C1 capacitor isn’t used to store energy but as filter: It’s a nF capacitor. About your circuit, I’m a bit confused. It is not clear where is the ground reference, a triac terminal is indirectly connected to the circuit through the digital oscilloscope, there’s a second source. Explains better what you want to do.