WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

rain dance
    n 1: a ritual dance intended to bring rain

The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):

rain dance
 n.

    1. Any ceremonial action taken to correct a hardware problem, with the
    expectation that nothing will be accomplished. This especially applies to
    reseating printed circuit boards, reconnecting cables, etc. ?I can't boot
    up the machine. We'll have to wait for Greg to do his rain dance.?

    2. Any arcane sequence of actions performed with computers or software in
    order to achieve some goal; the term is usually restricted to rituals that
    include both an incantation or two and physical activity or motion.
    Compare magic, voodoo programming, black art, cargo cult programming
    , wave a dead chicken; see also casting the runes.


The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

rain dance

   1. Any ceremonial action taken to correct a hardware problem,
   with the expectation that nothing will be accomplished.  This
   especially applies to reseating printed circuit boards,
   reconnecting cables, etc.  "I can't boot up the machine.
   We'll have to wait for Greg to do his rain dance."

   2. Any arcane sequence of actions performed with computers or
   software in order to achieve some goal; the term is usually
   restricted to rituals that include both an incantation or
   two and physical activity or motion.

   Compare magic, voodoo programming, black art, cargo
   cult programming, wave a dead chicken.

   [Jargon File]

   (1995-02-09)