Travel Guide

Travel Guide logo

In 1985, long before the world wide web, ubiquitous computer use, and search engines, the Travel Guide was created by Freeman Stamper as a directory of IAGSDC clubs and gay-friendly clubs where LGBTQ+ dancers could feel welcomed. Organized geographically, the Travel Guide listed club names, contact information, dance locations, schedules and programs. Eventually it included web addresses and email contact information.

Freeman took his inspiration from the National Square Dance Directory, which was a sort of "white-pages" of square dance clubs. A proto-type of the Travel Guide appeared as a supplement to the Western Star Dancers' 1984 membership directory.

Originally, Freeman hoped to sell the Travel Guide, but rather than staff a sales table, he just decided to leave them out for others to take. It became an annual publication and was always quite a chore to get clubs to keep their information in it up to date. (See his 1990 Golden Boot presentation).

For many years, the Travel Guide was the best source of information for club contacts and dancers wanting to dance with IAGSDC and gay-friendly clubs while visiting other cities.

After publishing the 1994 edition, Freeman passed on responsibility for the Travel Guide to "stepmother" Paul Asente, who kept it going in print and brought it online, where it became the first internet IAGSDC club directory. Note: there was no Travel Guide published in 2001.

In 2005, the IAGSDC web site took over the club directory and the Travel Guide was officially retired.