For a resort and casino in California, see Pechanga Pachanga is a type of Latin American music and dance originating from Cuba in the 1950s.[LINK: http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3pchnga.htm] [1] The dance briefly replaced the cha-cha in popularity, but ultimately was short lived. It still remains very popular, however, in Cali, Colombia, where the original hits of this genre can be heard any day of the week on various radio stations and, in the weekends, at dozens of dance clubs. The dance is referred to in the film Dirty Dancing. Also, Pachanga is the name of a character played by Luis Guzman in the movie Carlito's Way. Outside of Cuba, a 'pachanga' is the Spanish term for an informal gathering or party. See also · List of dances Latin dancesCuban music PachangaPachanga???????