A rain dance is a ceremonial dance that is performed in order to invoke rain and to ensure the protection of the harvest. They can be found in many cultures, from Ancient Egyptians to certain Native American tribes and could still be found in 20th century Balkans (Paparuda).
Modern usage
In computer science and hackerdom, when confronting a hardware problem, a rain dance is referred to any ceremonial action taken, which should yield no results, such as reconnecting cables.
See also
Last updated: 05-13-2005 07:56:04