Definitions for "Pachanga"
A rhythmic style and vigorous dance very popular during the 1950s, which originated in the charanga instrumentation.
A faster version of the chachachá.
The pachanga was a rage among New York Latin teenagers around 1961, as played by the then hugely popular charangas. There is some dispute as to its origins. It seems to be Cuban, but it never reached the popularity there that it enjoyed in the eastern U.S. It had a fast, syncopated ta-tum ta-tum pulse. The pachanga died out because the dance involved proved to be too energetic for most.