Crooner Johnny Boyd and his band are preparing to swing into Whitefish on a tour stop on Friday, March 18. The concert event, hosted by Whitefish Theatre Co., will cap a week of swing dancing classes by veteran instructors Peter Flahiff and Lauren Stanley.

“What it amounts to is a remarkable opportunity for someone to learn how to swing dance, from scratch, in one week, and put the skills to use at the end of the week at a show from the legendary Johnny Boyd,” said Flahiff via email. “We are offering two levels of classes: Absolute Beginners and Beyond Beginners. One hour per night for each level, from Sunday through Friday night, with the big show on Saturday night!

“We’re really excited to see how much people can learn and grow when we have an entire week, every night.”

Whitefish Theatre Co. is offering a special swing dance ticket package for the classes, scheduled March 13-17 at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish. The intermediate and advanced classes will be held from 6 to 7 p.m., and the beginning class will be from 7 to 8 p.m. each night. The special price offer combines five dance lessons and a ticket to the Boyd show for $150. The price also includes open floor practice time with Flahiff beginning at 8 p.m. each night.

Flahiff has taught swing and tap from Los Angeles and Seattle to London, Helsinki and Munich — including Camp Hollywood in California and the Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden. He’s studied with many of the past masters of these dances, and today he counts some of the world’s top dancers and instructors as his own former students.

“Peter is a modern-day Fred Astaire,” Boyd said. “There is nobody in the world better at doing what he does.”

On March 18, Boyd will be bringing his brand of timeless music that blends swing, jazz, pop, country, gospel and rock, a throwback to the nostalgic charisma of a bygone era. According to a press release, Boyd has “a voice as smooth as his silk ties. He sings like Sinatra and swings like Cash.”

“I’m very excited about the Whitefish show,” Boyd said. “There is no substitute for getting in the truck and going to play live for people in their hometown.

“It’s a new market for me, and that’s exciting. It’s all about providing a great, intimate experience for the audience.”

Boyd will be backed by his five-piece band, which includes Michael Elson on piano and B3 organ, Keith Brush on bass and vocals, A.G. Donnaloia on guitar, Ji Tanzer on drums and vocals, and Roberto Medina on congas and bongos.

“These guys are wise beyond their years as far as musicianship and instinct,” Boyd said. “I’m really thrilled to play with them; very lucky.”

Boyd just released a new album, “Someday Dreams of You,” in February, which he described as a mix of original tunes as well as a variety of long-forgotten classics from the Great American Songbook. The new album, as well as previous releases, are available on his website, www.johnnyboyd.com. “Someday Dreams of You” will also be available at the upcoming Whitefish show.

“Cocktails with a Crooner” will be Friday, March 18, at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for the performance are $35, available now at the O’Shaughnessy Box Office, online at www.whitefishtheatreco.org or by calling 406-862-5371.

The special swing ticket package, as well as individual class fees, are also available now. Participants must fill out a registration form, available at the box office or online.

The show sponsors for “Cocktails with a Crooner” are JeanAnne Swope and Jim Mechem. Outreach sponsors are Ann and Paul Jeremiassen.

The O’Shaughnessy Center is located at 1 Central Ave., Whitefish. For more information, call 406-862-5371 or visit www.whitefishtheatreco.org.

Entertainment Editor Stefanie Thompson can be reached at 758-4439 or ThisWeek@dailyinterlake.com.